By VERNON ROBISON
Moapa Valley Progress
Approximately 100 local residents gathered at the LDS Hinckley Chapel Pavilion on Friday evening last week for a grand barbecue dinner. The guests of honor were none other than the police officers of the Moapa Valley community and their families: both Metro and Nevada Highway Patrol.
The whole event was meant to show heartfelt appreciation to local police officers, according to Logandale resident Chris Zundel who was one of the organizers of the event.
“It all kind of started one night when we were having a family dinner at home,” said Zundel. “We got to talking politics and about the way that the police have been treated lately in certain places around the country. We decided that we should do something for our local police to show how much we appreciation what they do.”
The group of friends and family decided to roast a pig in honor of the police.
“Of course, we talked to the officers about it first to make sure that our roasting a pig in their honor wasn’t going to offend anyone,” Zundel joked.
They purchased a 265 lb. pig and spent two days roasting it, staying up all through the night before the dinner. In addition, family members and friends prepared all kinds of side dishes, breads, rolls, drinks and desserts to go along with it.
“We wanted it to be something special and meaningful,” said J.D. Cornwall who also helped to coordinate the event. “You know, even though our officers work for Metro where there is a lot of focus on the urban issues, they have shown their ability to treat us out here like a small town community. We are grateful for that.”
Local police said that they were humbled and grateful for the kind treatment from community members.
“There is a lot of negative press about law enforcement out there,” said Metro officer Shanan Kelly. “But here in Moapa Valley we are truly blessed to have the support and backing of the majority of the citizens of the community. It’s acts of kindness and friendship from these people that makes us proud to serve and protect.”
“It is definitely nice to be appreciated,” said NHP Trooper Chris Bennett. “It is good to feel the support from the community.”
“This is amazing!” said NHP Trooper Chris Sonneberg who lives in Virgin Valley but works out of the Moapa substation. “Being from Bunkerville I don’t get to know people from here as well. But this is really impressive: the kindness that is being shown here.”
Metro officer Allen Johnson said that, in working as a police officer, it is easy for the police to become a little hardened from dealing with the rougher elements of society.
“Of course, we know that the public generally supports us,” he said. “But I think we forget a little bit of just how much support that we really do have out there. This kind of brings that into perspective. And it is definitely humbling.”
Metro sergeant Bret Empey took a few moments to address the crowd and express appreciation for the event.
“In my years of service here in this community, I have been amazed again and again at how much the people in this little valley can just quietly get things done all on their own,” Empey said. “We have so many good people here who just take the initiative and get things done. We recognize that this is not just a little thing. This took a lot of time and resources to do this for us, and we certainly didn’t expect it. But it is good to be treated like something more than we feel like we are.”
