Florida shop partners with organization to help wounded officers

The Wounded Officers Initiative and partner Ocoee Tire and Auto Service are organizing a dinner gala on April 16 to support and honor officers wounded in the line of duty.

The focus of the Wounded Officers Initiative came to life more than 50 years ago, with the help of former President John F. Kennedy. Working to build recognition for officers killed in the line of duty, and in an attempt to build awareness for the lack of benefits for their survivors, in 1963, then President Kennedy established the Law Enforcement Officers memorial and deemed the week of May 16 Police Week.

Since the proclamation, many great organizations, programs and benefits had been created for fallen officers and their families. Although the Police Week of today is more commonly a remembrance of those killed in the line of duty, the intent of the event is also to build recognition for those disabled in the line of duty.

Failure to recognize the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers who have been catastrophically injured has led to a significant lack of recognition, benefits and services for these officers and their families.

In 2014, the Wounded Officers Initiative was born and established itself as the first national organization for wounded law enforcement officers, all with the help of Ocoee Tire and Auto Service, a NAPA dealer, in Ocoee, Fla.

Rather than rely solely on financial disbursements for its charges, the Wounded Officers Initiative developed five keys goals to address the long-term needs of wounded officers. CAARE — Counseling, Advocacy, Awareness, Recognition and Education — are the building blocks that best give wounded officers a hand up, rather than a handout.

Since its creation, the Wounded Officers Initiative continues its partnership with Ocoee Tire and Auto Service. The two organizations have partnered on every Wounded Officers Initiative event, including a CAARE for Law Enforcement motorcycle ride, which had over 300 participants and more than 100 law enforcement officers from five Florida counties. However, the partnership has not stopped there. The Wounded Officers Initiative and Ocoee Tire and Auto Service are organizing a dinner gala to honor wounded officers from around the nation on April 16. To learn more about attending or supporting the gala, visit www.WoundedOfficersInitiative.org.

The two are also in the planning phase of the 2016 CAARE Ride, which hopes to feature a chart topping country music artist.

The partnership between Ocoee Tire and Auto Service and the Wounded Officers Initiative is one that has already displayed a positive impact on wounded officers. Since the organizations creation and with the help of Ocoee Tire and Auto Service, the Wounded Officers Initiative has dispersed more than $6,000 to other charities to help with the immediate needs of wounded officers, they have also held 2 large and successful events, recognized the sacrifices made by wounded officers throughout the United States, and have brought desperately needed awareness to the plight of wounded officers.