Respect for Law” appreciation

By: Ernie Wren

The Ashland Optimist Club held its annual “Respect for Law” appreciation breakfast with attendees from the Ashland Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri Department of Corrections, and those serving in any other form of law enforcement capacity.  Optimist President Jan Palmer and Optimist/Mayor Dorise Slinker presented Ashland Police Chief Gabe Edwards with a Pizza Haus gift certificate of $75 which Chief Edwards said would be enjoyed at their staff meetings.  Optimist’s “Respect for Law” program has a rich national history.  In July 1965, a discussion between Past Optimist International President Carl Bowen and former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover resulted in the birth of the Respect for Law program. This is the fourth most popular program with more than 1,500 Clubs participating each year. Over a quarter of a million law enforcement officers honored by thousands of Optimist Clubs around the world over 50 years.