Grand Gestures
Cruise for for first responders, Flag Day event held
Saturday morning’s weather was ideal for a nice cruise around town, and after an idea that was sparked by Brian Phillips late one night was acted upon, a cruise is exactly what a large group of community members had. Phillips and his friend Chris Rutledge organized a support cruise for local First Responders, where over 100 people came out to drive-by local law enforcement agencies.
After meeting in the parking lot of the Government Plaza on Henderson Avenue, Phillips and Rutledge explained how the cruise was to proceed.
“This is awesome,” said Phillips. “This started as a small idea, sitting on my back porch at 10:30 at night, and this is what the community and having faith in humanity is all about. I appreciate everyone coming to show their respect for our first responders in Tulare County and across this great nation of the United States of America. This is not just for us, it’s for everybody out on the front lines, whether you’re an officer, firefighter, EMT, nurse, dispatcher, it doesn’t matter. You guys are the ones on the front lines keeping us safe. So this is for us to show our appreciation to them for what they do behind the scenes that we don’t see everyday.”
Rutledge explained that the gathering was not a protest. He said that it was a “showing of support for the people who put so much on the line for us.” He said that all laws were to be obeyed while on the road, and that everyone was “just cruisin’.”
The route began on Henderson Avenue down to Indiana Street where they would make a right. From there, they drove to Morton Avenue, made a right and passed by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) station. From Morton Avenue, they travelled to Newcomb Street to pass by Fire Station #2, before making a right on Henderson Avenue and driving down to Main Street. Once on Main Street, the group drove to Olive Avenue, back to Newcomb Street where they drove to Morton Avenue again, before eventually making their way to the Porterville Police Department off of D Street.
After making a round around Fire Station #1, the group was instructed to park as close to the police department as possible, exit their vehicles and gather in the lawn in front of the police department. A handful of Porterville Police Officers, a Tulare County Sheriff’s Officer, and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux were in attendance at the department and were swarmed with locals who wanted to shake their hands and share some love and support with them.
Phillips and Rutledge focused the attention of the group, and asked that everyone there listen as Boudreaux began to speak.
“America is not what we see on the TV,” said Boudreaux. “America is what we see right here, right now.”
Boudreaux’s speech was met with a large
round of applause, and Porterville Police Officer Rich Standridge took the floor. Standridge thanked everyone for coming out and showing the local law enforcement support before he invited Chaplain Steve Walker to the forefront to lead a prayer circle.
The group of cruisers huddled in tight around the officers, and Walker led them in a prayer of protection for law enforcement.
Once the prayer ended, and a collective “Amen” was heard, people slowly began disseminating back to their vehicles and leaving to enjoy the remainder of their weekend.