The Jeep Wrangler Club of WNY is spending Saturday delivering care packages to police officers at stations around the area.
At 11:30am, 20-30 Jeeps and dozens of people met at the Eastern Hills Mall in Williamsville before heading out on the road. The club named Saturday's drive the "Blues Cruise" and traveled across Western New York, stopping by 15 police and fire departments.
The drivers organized Saturday's event to raise awareness for the difficult job of police and first responders and also to show those groups that the community has their back.
Dave Firdmann of the club hopes the drive made an impact on the people they visited. "We want to support those that help us," he said. "To say, we recognize the fact that you're out there for us."
For one local police officer, the drive turned around a particularly tough day. "I was overwhelmed," Lt. Aaron Myers of Lancaster Police said. "I've never experienced anything like this in almost 28 years of police work. It was an emotional moment for me."
When the club walked into the Lancaster Police Department, Lt. Myers says he had tears in his eyes.
"It seems like police are not seen in a really positive light," he said. "So to have somebody come out and tell us we're appreciated means a lot to me."
Jeep Club member Scott Hemperly wanted to show officers like Lt. Myers that their work is being noticed. "All too often, people forget what our men and women of law enforcement and our first responders do on a daily basis," he said.
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