When people discuss their final preparations with family members, they often decide that instead of flowers at their funerals, they would prefer people who want to honor them to donate to charity. For one woman, it was a donation to a charity that can help save her son's life.
Shield616
Karen Bever had terminal cancer, and her son, Tom Bever, was a fire captain in St. Paul. They spent a lot of time together during her final months. Captain Bever shared with her about a very special charity.
Karen cared deeply for her son and his fellow firefighters. When it came time to plan her funeral, she told her son, " Tommy, I don't want flowers."
Instead, she said that if people wanted to do something for her, she wanted them to donate to the charity Shield616. They were a Christian nonprofit raising money for vests that offered ballistic protection to first responders.
When 76-year-old Karen passed away in July of 2020, people donated money to the organization in her memory. The St. Paul firefighters received five sets of protective gear.
Protection on a Larger Scale
According to Shield616 founder Jake Skifstad, donors and firefighters met in a way to demonstrate how the community rallies "around our first responders to help make sure that they're better protected." Currently, $73,000 has been donated.
That was enough to give 33 firefighters ballistic vests and helmets. Deputy Fire Chief Ken Adams is thrilled to receive the donations, but they still have quite a way to go. They want to outfit all 435 of their firefighters.
St. Paul firefighters are also EMTs or paramedics, so they often respond to dangerous situations like shootings, or unpredictable ones like medical emergencies.
Firefighters responding to calls have been shot just for responding to an emergency. According to Adams, the National Fire Protection Association wants firefighters to have a ballistic vest, especially when responding to an active shooter call.
Off-Duty Contact
During the riots last May, Captain Bever was off-duty due to injury, but very concerned for fellow firefighters who were going to calls where rocks, bottles, and bricks were thrown at them.
Captain Bever discovered Shield616 through a friend working for Mounds View Police Department. He suggested the nonprofit since they had used them for their officers as well.
The department met with Skifstad, and they rolled out the program to get these firefighters this much-needed safety gear.
Such a caring woman. God bless her
Apply this 616 plan nationwide
I would also add in protective vests for those courageous police dogs and rescue dogs who's paws take a terrible beating crawling over collapsed structures.
AMEN🌹
May the good Lord shine his face upon her and give her his peace. RIP
Start Shooting the bastards and they will stop everywhere . What is wrong is they know they can get away with the crap . Punish them with full metal jackets and the violence will stop everywhere . We are a do nothing justice system now so we the people need to protect our lives .
Bingo !
You are right. Get these violent people out of the gene pool.
In a just society, there must be equitable penalties for law breaking! When arrested bad guys and gals get out of jail in just a few hours by some institution paying bail, this detours no one!
I TOTALLY AGREE!!.SHOOT EVERY stinking one of those CRIMINAL pieces of human SH-T and be DONE with them!!
Unfortunately, those that attempt to stop criminals, including law enforcement, become the criminal while the criminal and/or their family are paid off.
Harris bailed out the criminals in MPLS and set up a defense fund followed by "they will not stop, nor should they"
What a special lady! Lots more of them are in America.
You are right. Get these violent people out of the gene pool.
Lets start by not voting for stupid. All these people that live there must like it they keep voting in the same people. So hard to feel sorry for a state that are causing their own problems and not doing anything about it. Coddling the criminal is not helping.
Curious that the violence is in Democrat run states and cities. Hmmm .