President Toni Gray (center) thanking Officers Ashley Antczak (left) and Connor Walsleben (right).
The Francis Scott Key Lions Club recently hosted three more Frederick Police officers in their Operation Blue Thank You, completing the first year of the project. Joining the Lions for dinner in May was Officer Margaret Lee; in June, Officers Ashley Antczak and Connor Walsleben.
Over the years the FSK Lions Club has hosted Frederick Police Department members to present informative programs; however, Operation Blue Thank You was suggested in 2016 by Lion Wil Rice after most of the then-recent news coverage about the law enforcement community was, unfortunately, negative, a shame, since the “thin blue line” keeps our communities safe and we so often forget to say thank you for their service. The FSK Lions Club invites an on-duty FPD patrol officer to spend his/her meal time with us, joining the Lions as their guest for dinner at the meeting. Officers are not asked to present a program or to listen to a membership recruitment pitch, simply to join the members for dinner as an expression of appreciation for what they do for the community every day. Selection of the officers is left to the FPD.
In the past year, in addition to Officers Lee, Antczak, and Walsleben, the club has hosted Officers Kevin Long, Keith Kopel, and Michael Weaver.
