Today, November 22, until 3 at Safeway and tomorrow between 9 and 3 at Town & Country, Bainbridge Island police officers are running a food drive for Helpline House, Bainbridge Island’s food bank. So far they’ve collected over 1,000 pounds of groceries.
At around 11:30, Police Chief Matt Hamner, Parking Officer Ken Lundgren, and Officer Erik Peffer, who was tasked with running the food drive, were standing just inside the entrance to Safeway, handing out pamphlets explaining what they’re doing and what kinds of donations they’re looking for and collecting items from shoppers on their way out. Peffer showed me one of the pre-made donation bags put together by Safeway staff to make donating the right kid of food items easy for shoppers. This bag included pasta sauce, tuna, peanut butter, and canned vegetables.
The Chief, impressed with Islanders’ generosity, excitedly told me that five or six people donated turkeys within the last hour. While I was there, a gentleman walked up to the officers, quietly handed them a 20-pound turkey, and left. Hamner’s wife and three of his kids showed up to help hand out pamphlets and load Lundgren’s parking enforcement truck with the groceries.
Peffer and Hamner loading groceries
Peffer, who recently transferred here from the police force in San Juan County, New Mexico, said that he is used to doing community outreach, having run in the Olympic Torch run there with the department and participating in Shop with a Cop. That’s a winter holiday experience for kids of families in need. Money is donated and each kid is given $100 to $150 to go shopping—with an officer. The police officer makes sure the kid gets a pair of shoes and a good jacket, and the kid can buy a toy as well. Peffer said that event is happening here on December 7 at the Kitsap Mall, and he’ll be part of it.
Peffer, who has a degree in kinesiology, originally wanted to be a cardiologist, and was also interested in culinary arts, said that he remembers thinking, “When I’m on my death bed I want to feel that I did something good for my community.” That’s when he decided to go into police work. “Law enforcement is an honorable profession. It’s not all about car chases and arresting people. A lot of it is about community outreach.”
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Photos by Sarah Lane.
