A little about myself to help you understand the importance of his support.\u00a0 I have been a Police Officer for 10 years and my wife is a Missouri State Trooper.\u00a0 Our father is also a Police Officer and has been for many years.<\/p>\n
My brother is Skip House, who is a resident of Lehigh Acres.\u00a0 Skip is a wood worker and can build anything out of wood.\u00a0 He\u00a0began making,\u00a0what we call, Thin Blue Line plaques last year.<\/p>\n
The Thin Blue Line is a symbol used by the law enforcement community to symbolize\u00a0and commemorate fallen police officers.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Thin-Blue-Line-300x199.jpg\" "\\"Thin")
Skip made\u00a0my father and me\u00a0one last year and the word got out that many other officers, including citizens. They\u00a0loved\u00a0them and\u00a0wanted them.\u00a0 When he began to receive\u00a0such positive feedback and requests Skip decided he wanted to make the lines for officers killed in the line of duty.\u00a0 Skip was aware of all the negative publicity police officers were receiving and wanted to let officers know they are appreciated\u00a0for the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.<\/p>\n
My thin blue line is hanging in my house and I look at it every day before work.\u00a0 It is a great piece that allows me to do my job knowing that any day could be the day, I pay the ultimate sacrifice.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0my father and I, began to show other officers the\u00a0thin blue line plaques, the word spread quickly and\u00a0Skip started to get many requests for them.\u00a0 Skip, who has a huge heart decided to show his respect for officers and decided to make the thin blue lines for a lot of different people\/officers.<\/p>\n
Many co-workers requested them and I in turn told Skip that many friends wanted one.\u00a0 The friends wanted to pay Skip for making them and shipping them but Skip refused to take the money.\u00a0 Skip told them instead of paying him if they would donate money to Backstoppers.com.\u00a0 Back stoppers is a foundation in St. Louis that provides financial assistance to the families of fallen officers.<\/p>\n
Skip makes the thin blue lines all by himself in his garage.\u00a0 Skip cuts the wood, paints the wood, puts the pieces together and ships them all across the country by himself.\u00a0 Skip on average ships about 5 thin blue lines a week.<\/p>\n
Skip decided to make a large thin blue line for every officer that has died in the line of duty.\u00a0 This was his idea and ever since last year, he has made the thin blue lines and shipped\u00a0them at his\u00a0own expense.<\/p>\n
Skip looks on line and gets updates when officers die in the line of duty.\u00a0 Skip then calls the police department and asks for an address to send the blue lines.\u00a0 Skip then ships the blue line and requests that each officer from that department sign the plaque and present the plaque to the next of kin.<\/p>\n
Skip has tremendous feedback on doing this and is so happy that his thin blue lines can show little comfort in the families that receive them.<\/p>\n
I don’t have an exact number of how many he has sent to the police departments but my guess would be over 50.<\/p>\n
Skip makes big ones that he sends out to the fallen officers which are about 3 feet by 3 feet.<\/p>\n
He also makes small thin blue lines.\u00a0 During Christmas, he came home and provided 25 or so to his family to hand out.<\/p>\n
So what my wife and 14-year-old daughter and the rest of our family has done is when we see a police officer either at a gas station or anywhere else, we go up to them and provide the thin blue line to them as a sign of respect and appreciation.<\/p>\n
You wouldn’t believe the smiles on these officers faces once they receive a thin blue line.\u00a0 We tell them the back story of how my brother makes them and gives them out and they are extremely grateful for the support.<\/p>\n
Skip has also make numerous thin blue line dog bones for the fallen K9 officers.\u00a0 His feedback on the K9 lines are amazing as well.\u00a0 He has received such great feedback there are requests coming in for small K-9 lines to hand out to K-9 officers he sees while he is driving.\u00a0 Skip has also made firefighter red lines.<\/p>\n
The following is what Skip loves to do the most.\u00a0 Skip carries the smaller thin blue lines in his vehicle when he drives to work.\u00a0 Whenever he sees an officer, he pulls over and provides them with a thin blue line.\u00a0 I have heard many stories from Skip about how thankful this officers are once they receive a thin blue line.\u00a0 Skip stated he talks with the officers and they love what he is doing for the law enforcement community.<\/p>\n
Skip has handed out these lines to so many officers, the officers see him and actually tell Skip, they know who he is.\u00a0 The word got out and there are so many officers in Fort Myers and Lehigh that know his name and truck.\u00a0 He is beginning to have trouble finding an officer he has not provided a thin blue line to.<\/p>\n
Skip loves doing this type of activity and he is doing this as his way of giving back to the officers who have one of the most stressful jobs in the world.<\/p>\n