The Wives of Warriors (W.O.W.) hosted the 3rd annual Blessed are the peacemakers 5k. The run/walk honored fallen law enforcement officers, as well as, law enforcement officers that are currently serving their communities.
W.O.W. is a group of ladies that share a common thread, they each love a law enforcement officer.
Rushing said that all of the money from the race will go to buy body armor for police departments that do not have enough money in their budgets to buy the vests.
“We do it so that everyone gets to come home at the end of the day, the wives all feel good about it and families can rest at night,” said Rushing.”
Rushing added that in 2015 W.O.W. purchased vests for 16 officers and in 2016 they were able to purchase vests for 34 officers however, she said that the number for officers needing bullet proof vests was 150 last year, but the number is always going up because the bullet proof vests have an expiration date.
“They will still work, but they are just not as effective,” said Rushing. “So every five years, you really should get a new one. It’s 150 right now, but its always going up and changing because this year someone’s entire department might have expired.”
Rushing said that a bullet proof vest ranges in cost from $700 to $1,000.
The Blessed are the Peacemakers 5k was run yesterday in memory of Sgt. Gale Stauffer and Mst. Sgt. John Collum.
