WHERE: Detroit, Michigan
WHO:
Today’s shout out goes to 9-year-old Samya McLaughlin, a Detroit girl who is using her birthday to celebrate officers in her community.
According to CBS Detroit, Samya was so sad when she heard about the officer shooting in Dallas, she was moved to take action.
WHAT:
It’s easy to feel powerless when the soul of America is hurting.
However, I believe everyone, no matter who you are, has the power to make a difference.
My social media feed has been jammed with bad news, from political drama to officers being gunned down.
Samya told her mom she wanted to do something special for the police officers in her area. She decided to use her birthday money to buy lunch for the officers.
The bag lunches were filled with all sorts of goodies: sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies.
Samya told WWJ Newsradio 950, “I was thinking that I should feed the officers because I wanted to show them that I support then and thank them for all they do… I wanted to show them that all lives matter.”
In thanking @detroitpolice, 9yr old buys 11th precinct lunch. In her words "all lives matter." My reports @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/GHfc5jbQKo
— Jason Wirgau (@JasonWirgau) July 9, 2016
A nine year old girl celebrates her b-day by buying lunch for DPD 11th Precinct. My LIVE report 11:03 @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/HFLY7yaCiD
— Jason Wirgau (@JasonWirgau) July 9, 2016
Bagged lunches prepped & presented to DPD's 11th district by 9yr old girl who used her b-day cash to do so @WWJ950 pic.twitter.com/rEwaX4xCZP
— Jason Wirgau (@JasonWirgau) July 9, 2016
The officers were so touched by her generosity, they made her “Officer of the Day” and awarded her a badge.
Samya took her generosity to another level. She also passed out 30 bagged lunches to the homeless in Detroit.
WHY:
“I wanted to show that all lives matter,” Samya told NBC’s “Today” show. “I felt really bad for the kids (in Dallas) who lost their fathers, so I wanted to take care of the police officers and support them.”
Giving and goodness is infectious.
“Since Samya did this for us, we’ve gotten a lot of phone calls about churches wanting to send us food and other people thanking us, so she has really fostered togetherness,” Officer Norma Black, a 14-year member of the Detroit Police Department, told the “Today” show.
I hope this inspires you to do something to bring light into your corner of the world.
Take Action:
Don’t just be shocked and saddened by the news. Be part of the solution. Think about what you can do to create peace. Volunteer your time. Donate your talent or use your resources. Be creative. We want to know what you’re doing to inspire peace.
More info:
- Girl, 9, Uses Birthday Money To Buy Lunch For Detroit Police Officers After Seeing Dallas Shooting On TV (WWJ NewsRadio 950)
- Girl spends birthday money to buy lunch for police in wake of Dallas shootings (TODAY show, NBC)
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Onward,
Toan