Emergency Services Appreciation lunch

At our recent Emergency Services Appreciation Lunch, we kicked off the busiest 100 days of the summer by gathering the brave men and women who serve our community day in and day out – police, fire, EMS, and other frontline responders.

This year, one of the most moving moments came from a very special guest: a nine-year-old girl named Kaylin.

Back in 2016, when Kaylin was born, her parents began a family tradition inspired by the military “challenge coin” custom – a powerful way to say, “thank you for your service.”

Since then, Kaylin has personally handed out over 1,500 coins to heroes across the country.

At our lunch, she passed coins to local responders with a shy smile and a steady hand. No speeches. No fanfare. Just a quiet gesture of deep gratitude – one hero honoring another.

Her very first coin recipient? Her "Uncle Matt"—a sheriff and close family friend who used to hold her after long, difficult shifts working child sex crimes. He reminded his fellow officers of why they do this work. She reminded him that innocence still exists.

Now she reminds all of us.