Austin P.D. officers feed Boerne ‘Heroes’

Police return favor, cover cost of ‘Hope For Heroes’ luncheon

BY JEFF B. FLINN Managing Editor

On the first Tuesday of each month, the Hopes For Heroes organization in Boerne sponsors a free feed at the Blacksmith Grill for the city’s first responders: law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, county jail employees.

The November luncheon saw dozens of men and women in uniform, as well as some ranking Kendall County Courthouse officials, enjoy a free lunch. But something was different this time.

The cops paid for it. And not just any police officers – but Austin Police Department officers were there to pick up the tab.

Austin P.D. officers not only covered the cost of the meals, but bussed the food to seated Boerne first responders, refilled drinks, delivered slices of cake for dessert, then cleared tables when their “guests” had finished.

Senior Austin police officer Joe Brown was accompanied by six fellow officers who have been to a Hope For Heroes luncheon and were there to return the hospitality.

“We are a group of officers who have participated in the Hope For Heroes event in town,” Brown said. “We wanted to be able to return the favor for all the support and love that the Kendall County Sheriff’s and Boerne Police Department have shown us and our families. So we wanted to come down and serve the first responders here and pay for it out of our own pocket.”

“It’s heroes serving heroes today,” Brad Cornell, CEO of Hope For Horoes, said. “We are blessed and honored today to have officers from the Austin P.D. that have been here to one of our events, coming to serve our first responders.”

Among the guests expected to arrive, Cornell said, were 451st District Court Judge Kirsten Cahoon, Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop, and city staff from the courthouse and jail.

This is the third year for Hope For Heroes, Cornell said. “With the terrible things happening up in Austin, realizing we didn’t have any hope for our real heroes, we started bringing officers and families down here,” he said.

Each month, a family or two is invited down for a “night on the town.” Hope For Heroes pays for their overnight stay in The Kendall Inn, as well as a $300 gift card for spending money.

“What they don’t know, is there’s anywhere from 50-100 people waiting for them, just blasting them with how much we love them and care for them,” Cornell said. “And they’re not ready for that.”

Brown said at the end of the day the APD officers would make a donation to Hope For Heroes equivalent to the cost of lunch for all the first responders.

Accompanying Brown were Austin P.D. officers Jesse Newhall, Nathan Sexton, Brent Cleveland, Bonnie Caudill, Arlene Lozano and Roland Rust.