One day more than a decade ago, the late Rev. Al Henderson wandered into the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and asked if a chaplain was needed for the department.
“They were like, yeah, that would be great,” Henderson’s widow, Kris Henderson, said.
That single visit to the Sheriff’s Office led to a lasting connection between the Lutheran pastor and local law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical personnel.
In turn that relationship led Henderson to establish Serving Our Servants, a Christian-centered organization that supports law enforcement and emergency first responders. The group is commonly called SOS.
“It was God working through him and he was a willing servant,” Kris Henderson said of her husband’s devotion to serving first responders.
T.J. Pingel, the president of SOS, said the community’s first responders “need the support that we give.”
It was God working through him and he was a willing servant “ “
Kris Henderson
“These guys need this support,” he said. “They are the ones that are protecting us. They are doing it at all hours of the day and in all kinds of weather and we just take it so for granted.”
Webster County Sheriff Luke Fleener said the work of SOS is “extremely beneficial.”
“It’s such a great organization,” he said. “I think it’s a great community organized and orchestrated group dedicated to serving all first responders. There’s just not a lot of groups out there like it.”
He added that when he thinks of SOS, he immediately thinks of its founder. He said Al Henderson was someone law enforcement officers knew that they could lean on in times of need.
“He was just gifted with that ability to be in the right spot at the right time,” he said.
SOS survived the death of its founder, who was murdered on Oct. 2, 2019, outside his church, St. Paul Lutheran Church.
“It’s really important for people to know SOS is still around and still doing the things Pastor Al wanted the group to do,” Pingel said.
This year marks two significant milestones related to SOS.
The group, established in 2014, is marking its 10-year anniversary.
It is also the fifth anniversary of Pay It Forward Friday, an annual event held on the first Friday in October in honor of Henderson.
The event was created by Pingel as a way to honor the memory of Henderson by performing and encouraging multiple acts of kindness throughout the community.
“This was all TJ,” Kris Henderson said.
“Bless his heart, he had a real strong connection with Al.”
This year Pay It Forward Friday will be held on Oct. 4. Kris Henderson said depending on the weather, ice cream or hot chocolate will be served that day on the City Square following the Fort Dodge Senior High School homecoming parade. While at the City Square, people will be able to sign cards thanking first responders for their service. A blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 4 at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
Pingel said the theme of Pay It Forward Friday is “just go out there and do something nice.”
“It doesn’t have to be grand, it doesn’t have to be expensive,” he said. “Something as simple as holding a door open for someone can really make someone’s day.”
Throughout the years, SOS has shown its support for law enforcement officers and firefighters through food. It regularly delivers food to the Webster County Law Enforcement Center, Iowa State Patrol District 7 headquarters and the Fort Dodge firehouse.
But it has also provided support in ways that go beyond a meal.
It has assembled Blessing Bags that can be given by first responders to children they encounter in traumatic situations.The bags contain things like a book, a flashlight and a stuffed animal.
The SOS program called Tops for Cops paid for caps and cap badges that Fort Dodge police officers wear with their dress uniforms.
A similar effort called Chap’s Caps provided hats for Webster County sheriff’s deputies to wear with their dress uniforms.
SOS also purchased a rope rescue device called a CSR pulley system for the Fire Department. Pingel said the system that the department broke and there was no money in the budget to buy a new one.
“They came to us and we said yes, 100 percent, we will buy it for you,” he said. Students at Iowa Central Community College taking classes on topics like law enforcement, emergency medicine and fire science can get a scholarship through SOS. The organization offers the Rev. Allen Henderson Future Servant Scholarship. Four $1,000
greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends “ “
(John 15:13)
scholarships are awarded each year. The first ones were awarded in May 2020 and so far, about $20,000 worth of scholarships have been awarded.
Future plans for SOS include the construction of the Pastor Al Pavilion at John F. Kennedy Memorial Park north of Fort Dodge. Pingel said it will be built near the park’s new playscape. The pillars of the pavilion will be marked for the Fort Dodge Police Department, Fort Dodge Fire Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol.
“What a great way to remember Pastor Al,” Fleener said. SOS is trying to raise $100,000 for the pavilion by the end of January.
Individuals who donate $500 or more will be recognized with a nameplate on the pavilion shaped like an old oil can. Businesses that donate $1,000 or more will be recognized with an oil can nameplate.
Pingel said the oil can shape was chosen because Henderson was an avid collector of vintage oil cans.
“We thought it would be cool to add that personal touch to the shelter,” he said.
the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve “ “
(Matthew 20:28)
