First Responders Appreciation Day

American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) Foundation in collaboration with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf of Bixby Knolls held a day to honor our local first responders on Friday, June 22, 2018.  AUHS Foundation and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf wanted to celebrate our first responders for the invaluable work they do to protect and serve our residents.  AUHS Foundation sponsored free coffee (and other drinks) for Long Beach and Signal Hill Police, Fire, California Highway Patrol and LA Sheriffs all day.  Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf gave first responders who visited the location with a bag of donated coffee.  An official ceremony was held that afternoon to hand out plaques of appreciation to each first responder department represented that day.

Representatives from Long Beach City Councilmember District 7 and 8 and Senator Ricardo Lara’s office were in attendance to honor the following first responder departments with certificates of appreciation:  CHP, Long Beach Police Department, Signal Hill Police Department, Long Beach Fire Department, LA County Sheriff’s Department, LBUSD Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and The Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection.  This event could not have occurred timelier because Fire Captain Dave Rosa, who represented his station at this event, was fatally shot during a fire call 3 days later.  We need to give thanks first responders to let them know we appreciate the dangerous work they do each day to protect our families.

In addition to CHP, Long Beach Police Department, Signal Hill Police Department, Long Beach Fire Department, LA County Sheriff’s Department, 2019’s First Responders Appreciation Day honored heroes from Long Beach Memorial Hospital Emergency Room Nurses and Doctors and Long Beach Coast Guards.  They were presented with awards and certificates of appreciation as well as a thank you speech from Long Beach Councilmember Al Austin.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, First Responders Appreciation Day scheduled for June 2020 had to be canceled.  Although we could not host a gathering to honor our local first responders, they are always appreciated everyday for their sacrifice in the face of adversity to keep our community safe and healthy and the bravery they show in facing danger to help so many stricken by the COVID-19 disease.