VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Jay:
Hi, I’m Jay Height with this week’s update on the exciting things happening in Shepherd Community. We have our summer day camp going on for elementary kids, over a hundred kids, middle school, high school, about 50, and it is really exciting for me to have a friend who I’ve known for many years. We’re so proud of him. Officer Patrolman, Joe Sims. Joe, it’s good to have you here with us, and we’re thankful. What are some of the best memories? You grew up going to our programs.

Joe:
So I grew up here, probably at age five all the way until teenage years. I would say my favorite memories are just the everyday activities, going to the pool, playing on the playground, going to the zoo, just every little day activities that we didn’t get to do at home.

Jay:
Well, that’s great. You, your brother, your sister were all part of the programs. You got to go on some of our bus trips when we’ve taken the high schoolers someplace and we bring most of them back. It was sometimes optional on those week-long trips. Is there one memory that sticks out in your mind?

Joe:
I would say that we took a trip to Washington DC, and before that I had never been outside of Indiana other than a trip to Michigan with family. So, it kind of opened the options of going out, exploring the world that I didn’t know exists at the time.

Jay:
How long have you been serving our city in law enforcement?

Joe:
I’ve been a police officer for six years now.

Jay:
Wow, and you’re a training officer now?

Joe:
Yes, sir.

Jay:
I was talking to your commander, Commander Hicks, and talks about the great job you do. You and your wife made a gift this year to help our kids in the summer camp. Tell me why you did that.

Joe:
So, particularly the zoo, my wife, she’s a teacher for third grade and she loves educational things. So we were walking around the zoo. We have a zoo pass this summer, and one memory I brought up, that as a family, we never got to go to the zoo. And then, if we did, we couldn’t afford things like food at the zoo. So I was thinking, oh, at shepherd, how great would it be to maybe feed some kids at the zoo or send them to the zoo or something similar to that.

Jay:
Well, we appreciate that gift, and you’re giving back. You give back every day as you serve our community and your wife as a teacher. You now see the benefits of places like Shepherd in law enforcement. Tell me a little bit about that.

Joe:
I think to change someone’s life, you can do that at any age, but what better time to start at their very youngest age of five, four or five. When they start shepherd, it puts them on the right track, gets them out of trouble. I think you can be the best kid in the world, but if you’re around the wrong people, then it’s just the wrong influences for your life. So, here at Shepherd, they’re just surrounded by good people and good influences that help shape their lives.

Jay:
Well, every time I see you in uniform, it makes me smile because I believe in you and proud of you. Love you, brother. I am so thankful. We’re on road to recovery. Won’t you join us? And pay attention next week on our Facebook Live, when you’ll hear more about Joe Sims, as he talks to our students about what it is to be law enforcement and how they can make good choices. We’re on the road to recovery. Won’t you join us?