Initiatives

Boots on the Ground will support programs to facilitate professional and community development of first responders. It’s initial programming for 2020-2021 is listed below.

Wills For Warriors

A collaboration with local lawyers to provide pro bono estate planning legal services to area first responders. This initiative was inspired by the national organization, Wills For Heroes. It successfully provides these services to veterans within the Great Chicago Area. Boots on the Ground aims to deliver this service to not only our area veterans, but our first responders as well. Those putting their lives at risk should not have to worry about more than they face in each moment of service.

Click Wills for Warriors for more information.

Serve Responsibly

Inspired by Lee County Sheriff John Simonton, is a joint effort with fellow First Responders in Lee County. The initiative offers local establishments the opportunity to attend seminars for formal BASSET training at no charge to servers and bartenders. The aim is to benefit public safety throughout Whiteside County.

More information to come later.

Winning Words

Aiming to assist First Responders in identifying, categorizing, drafting, and applying for funding through private, regional, state and federal opportunities. We also look to offer grant writing workshops for departments and the communities they serve. From individual development to ongoing working groups, we seek to bring First Responders from the individual silos of experience across Whiteside County to achieve something greater than the sum of its parts.

More information to come later.

First Respond, Then Talk

First Responders and mental health practioners collaborate to turn post-traumatic stress into post-traumatic growth through individual and group therapies focused on the difficult experiences unique to their role in our communities. The initiative stems from the service provided to Rock Falls’ 1644 returning from deployment throughout the 2000s.

More information to come later.

Officers Eat Last

In the spirit of service and community, we seek to provide local food and music free of charge to the public. With option to donate toward the benefit of a charitable organization or project of need within the communities of Whiteside County.

More information to come later.