Everyone can use a little help now and then, however, the Front Range Chaplains are grateful to be of help all hours of the day and night. A selfless job, of over 140 years of combined service, was recognized yesterday by family and the Longmont Public Safety staff.
By chance, Longmont Police Officers Ryan Douglas and Jerry Carnes, chaplain liaisons, assembled a volunteer recognition ceremony for the Longmont Public Safety Chaplains during National Volunteer Week.
“We had no idea it was National Volunteer Week until today,” Douglas said. “We always host our meetings on the second Wednesday of the month and this time we wanted to use it to recognize the amazing work our chaplains do.”
The Front Range Chaplains program began in 1981 allowing religious leaders to be “available to assist with injury and death notification, critical incident response, stress management tips, counseling, and visitation to sick and injured employees and their families,” according to the city of Longmont website.
“The reality of it is, as pastors, we deal with some of the worst situations. For most people, it doesn’t really matter your history when you’re going through a troubled time, a lot of people turn to God … It doesn’t matter what relationship, what church, what organization, there’s a shared goal in loving people. It's all about showing love to the community when they need it most,” Dave Cronk of Firehouse Ministries told The Leader in an interview in January.
Although these ministers face the worst situations, they were surprised to arrive at a local event hall and find a celebration with friends and family.
Letting the ministers assume they were attending a regular monthly meeting, Douglas and Carnes organized the celebration with the help of the ministers’ families.
Carnes began the event by sharing a prayer spoken by Ed McQueen of Rocky Mountain Christian Church. In the prayer, McQueen shared his gratitude for being able to serve Longmont Public Safety, a sentiment shared by all the chaplains, Carnes said.
“Today, I just want our chaplains to know that we feel blessed and we feel it is a privilege to serve with all of you … That is what today is all about, we want to share that love with you,” Carnes said.
Douglas thanked the chaplains for their commitment and grace they show not only to Longmont Public Safety but to the community as well, despite the odd hours or severity of the call.
“What is unique about this group is you don’t just have kind words for the person and send them away. You show up, you find the needs and you address the needs,” Douglas said.
Not only have the chaplains served over 140 years of combined service but in 2020, they contributed 2,800 hours during a global pandemic, Douglas said.
The Front Range Chaplains were awarded the Outstanding Spirit of Service Volunteer of the Year award by Longmont Public Safety. The award identifies volunteers who distinguish exceptional spirit service to the department. This award can be given for one singular event or for service over time.
Longmont Public Safety felt the group as a whole deserved the award for the 2,800 hours of selfless service they provided to officers and the community, Douglas said.
Rabbi Yakov Borenstein of Chabad of Longmont, had considered missing the meeting this month until his wife strongly encouraged him to attend.
“I’m so humbled by it (the recognition). It’s humbling to show how much they appreciate us and what we do. On our end, I just feel like it is my duty and I don’t call myself a hero for doing this, it is just something that I love doing,” he said.
Borenstein moved to Longmont in 2006 and learned about and began volunteering for the Front Range Chaplains within three months of moving to town.
“I try to take as many calls as I can, including last night. This is one way I feel I give back to the community … helping all in Longmont. It is incredible … We try to show love and hear, especially when people are going through tragic times,” Borenstein said.
One member of the chaplains, Rick Ebbers, pastor at The Journey, was given the Outstanding Leadership Volunteer of the Year award for his 21 years of service to the group. Ebbers led the group from 2006-2020 before handing the leadership role to Philip Woods of The Well in Longmont, according to Douglas.
“Part of this is a surprise because I think, from a chaplain perspective, what Ed said (referring to McQueen’s prayer) is accurate in the sense that it is a privilege to do this,” Ebbers said. “The fact that they deemed what we do as being valuable enough … that’s an honor.”
For the fortitude and compassion, the chaplains show, “I am blessed, our department is blessed and our community is blessed. More than you feel blessed to serve us, the real blessing is that our community has you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for what you do, we would be lost without you,” said Rob Spendlow, interim Public Safety Chief.
“The challenges we have, from the last year, are challenges of isolation and loneliness and you bring people together with relentless compassion and love and understanding, please continue to lead us in doing that,” said Dan Eamon, Longmont Public Safety assistant chief.
All nine of the serving chaplains said they felt humbled by the honor bestowed upon them by Longmont Public Safety as they were handed engraved plaques for their volunteerism.
