Entering the Season With Grateful Hearts BY BILL WESTENBERGER
As we move into the holiday season, it’s appropriate that the first holiday to be celebrated is one of thankfulness. We all can agree that things have been crazy lately. As a community, we have experienced many losses and setbacks during the past two years. Some days, it seems like there’s no end in sight. Frustrations plague us in many ways, but, through it all, we still have so much to be thankful for. I have a great deal of thanks to give. First of all, I want to say thank you to my wife and family. Additionally, I can’t say thank you enough to the team I serve with. They are amazing and wow me every day. However, the biggest thank you goes to you, the community. Without your support, we would not be able to help keep the community safe and maintain the community’s quality of life. You may not realize it, but you need to know that your support gives our officers the energy to do their jobs. It’s easy to recognize that it’s a two-way street. Our public safety teams must energize you through our professionalism, heroism, dedication and love for those we serve, but we need you! For example, I recently read a letter written to one of our officers from a domestic violence victim. The victim praised the officer for going above and beyond in assisting the
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AROUND KENNESAW | November 2021
victim through a very difficult time. Although it wasn’t meant for me, this letter re-energized me and made a positive impact for my day. I shared it with our senior leadership team, and sent my appreciation to the officer. All I can say is that it was an amazing experience that originated with a heartfelt thank you. You don’t always get to see the ripple effect of a kind word, but we all know how profound it can be. So, again, I thank you all for your support, kind thoughts, patience and appreciation. Thank you for letting us
know when something is occurring, or speaking up as a witness when needed. We weren’t designed to do life in silos; we need one another to make it all work. I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday, full of time with friends and family that brings lasting smiles. Until next time … stay safe. Bill Westenberger has served as chief since 2008. He was given the 2019 Kennesaw Citizen of the Year Award.
