#ourfavoritecreampufflady

Last Saturday night was my first night at the gift shop in about four weeks. It wasn't a planned break. Just too much going on at work. Depending on how my work week goes, sometimes I just can't muster up the energy to make cream puffs...and I can't go empty-handed now! My body was telling me to rest, so I did.

The cream puffs disappeared as fast as I
was putting them on the plate.  

Judging by the steady stream of Po-Po's and 911 communication staff who stopped by to visit and say hello, I think they missed me as much as I missed them. I arrived a little earlier than usual hoping to catch a few 2nd shifters and I did!

A few officers stopped by who I hadn't seen in a while. I loved the grin on their faces as they rounded the corner of the gift shop (holding a cream puff). It was almost as if they were trying to surprise me. Well, they did! I was so happy to see everyone.

At the end of the evening, there were about eight (8) powder sugar puffs left (all the chocolate ones were gone), so I boxed them up and took them upstairs to the communications team. Miss Mary was working, the supervisor responsible for me volunteering in the gift shop. I wouldn't have known about it if not for her.

She hugged me when she saw me and said she wanted to take a 'selfie' with me. She posted our picture on Facebook, and paid me the ultimate compliment. She gave me my own hashtag. I have my own hashtag...how cool is that!

#ourfavoritecreampufflady

And check this out...FINALLY, a picture with an officer!! I have only waited 5 years for a photo op. I keep telling these guys..."I need pictures! My friends think I'm making you up!" I don't go on about it out of respect for their privacy, but it makes me sad I don't have any pictures with my friends. It was very sweet of this officer to agree.  

Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Whether it was me they missed or my cream puffs (maybe a little of both), it was a fun night! As long as my puffs are enjoyed by the officers all across the Queen City, I will happily and forever be....#ourfavoritecreampufflady.  

♥

Unsung heroes.....911 call-takers and dispatchers

Friday night, about 12:10 a.m., my little Honda was 17 (that means 'en-route' in Po-Po language) heading North to the CMPD headquarters downtown with a special midnight 'Operation Cream Puff' delivery for the Communications Department -- home of Charlotte's unsung heroes -- the 911 call-takers and dispatchers.  Word of my little cream puffs has gotten around this past year, and this is my third delivery to the Communications Department. 

Here you'll find the hard-working 'behind the scenes' men and women who work tirelessly around the clock 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to answer approximately 68,000 calls a MONTH! They are so many times the lifeline to not only the public, but to the officer as well. They make a positive difference to everyone who hears their voice. 

They handle both emergency and non-emergency calls and must quickly assess the situation and accurately process the call.

Emergencies include:*
  -  crimes that are in progress or about to happen  
  -  crimes that have resulted in serious personal injury, property damage, or property loss
  -  situations in which the suspect may still be at the scene 
  -  some suspicious activities

* For more information, click here.  

They are all so sweet to me when I come, but I didn't hang around long Friday night like I have in the past.  It was after midnight and the Queen City was hopping -- they had work to do!
 
The next time you need police, fire, or medic, remember.....your call starts with these hard-working professionals.  Please let them know how much you appreciate them!

This isn't a picture of my 911 call center, but it is very similar. Day and night, there are no bright lights. 

Maybe to create some calm in what can otherwise be a very stressful atmosphere.  

♥ 

Special Deliveries .... "Operation Cream Puff"

When I made my first cream puff delivery to the Steele Creek Division last October 2012, I started calling my visits "Operation Cream Puff". I thought an email with "Operation Cream Puff" in the subject line might not get lost in their email Inbox. My visits are monthly and a date on the calendar I always look forward to. 

I have received so many wonderful emails and thank you notes from the officers in several divisions (including my own) over my cream puffs and other AHOP things I do. I save them all and I read them often -- they just make me feel good when I'm having a less than perfect day (and there are many).

My cream puffs made the rounds last week while I was on vacation....or rather...."staycation." I wanted to visit other departments and agencies that aren't so easy for me to get to since I work a full and part-time job. Last week just seemed to be a good week to do that and I had a BLAST! In-between the massive cream puff production, I also managed to clean out my garage, make about 100 trips to Lowe's and Home Depot, and do a little yard work. Not the 'ideal' vacation to some, but (for me), it was the most perfect week. 

Special deliveries went to:

Engine 16/Ladder 16 -- just a hop, skip and a jump from my front door. I love hearing the big horn blow when they head to a new call. I don't like the fact that there is an emergency on the other end waiting for them, but the horn just tells me they are hard at work. "There goes Ladder 16....be safe!", is what I always say. Thank you firefighters at Engine 16/Ladder 16 for your service to ME and the citizens in my very own community! I hope you guys can come for breakfast or dinner sometime -- I would love it!

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Pineville Police Department -- I love Pineville, NC! It is such a quaint little community and just a little more than 5 miles from my home. A Saturday morning stroll through all the little antique shops is good for the soul. I am in Pineville often because it is so close to my home, so I always see the Pineville PD officers hard at work. They have a beautiful new police station, so I was happy to see the inside finally. Thank you for your service and for keeping the citizens of Pineville safe.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Matthews Police Department -- Proud to say I have a few friends in the quaint little town of Matthews, NC. Super cute downtown area - original buildings - and I would venture to guess the oldest hardware store for miles and miles! Renfrow Hardware has been in business for over 113 years. Check it out sometime. I always see the Matthews PD officers hard at work and saw two officers while I was en route to their office. Thank you to the Matthews PD for keeping my friends and the community of Matthews safe.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

CMPD 911 Call Operators and Dispatchers -- What an absolute treat this was to meet a few dispatchers on the CMPD Communications floor at the CMPD Headquarters downtown. The voices  on the other end of the 911 calls and the voices I have heard on the police radios for the past 3+ years when the officers are at my table for a meal. I think I may have made a few new friends that day. :o) A big thank you to the Captain and Miss W. for their time and for sharing with me a little about what they do. I don't know how they all remain so calm under the pressure and call volume. They are all  true professionals at what they do! Thank you for the service you provide to the ENTIRE City of Charlotte.   
  

    

AND....as I mentioned in a previous post, I have been super busy making cream puff deliveries on my way to work to a few CMPD School Resource Officers. They miss out on all the food dropped off at the stations because they're at the schools Monday through Friday (I'm sorry I didn't think of this sooner.) For being a working girl with no children, it has been YEARS since I have seen the inside of a school, so this little project has been especially fun for me!
  

Carmel Middle School

Community House Middle School

James Robinson Middle School

Quail Hollow Middle School

South Charlotte Middle School

Thanks to all the SROs for what you do and for providing the students and teachers of Mecklenburg County a safe environment to learn and teach.

How my puffs looked in April 2013

How they look now - October 2014

♥