The patrol commander had worked on the force for years and nothing could surprise him anymore. One of his weekly duties was to check the mail, and one envelope caught his eye. He noticed it had delicate, child-like letters on the front and he could tell the focus someone put into writing their letters perfectly.
As he opened the envelope he took out a handwritten note and a 10$ bill fell onto his desk. As he began to read the note, he couldn’t keep the emotions off of his face. He knew he had one officer with some explaining to do.
Brooke’s Thoughtful Cards
Brooke Yoast was 9 years old and the middle daughter in her family. She had one older sister and one younger sister. While the girls looked the same there was one certain trait that set Brooke apart from the rest of her family.
From a young age, Brooke loved to write thank you cards. She always made sure the letters were perfect and it made her feel better to hand-deliver the note. Would a simple card be able to capture the feelings she felt for one kind stranger?
A Week Day Treat
One day Brooke stopped at the local SHEETZ and got excited to buy their specialty, donut holes. She loved the soft texture of the donut and the sweet sugar as it melted on her tongue. SHEETZ was busy with a mid-afternoon rush, but Brooke waited patiently in line, her mouth salivating over the taste of her tasty treat!
When she finally got to the cashier she quietly placed her order and then reached into her pockets. When she pulled out her change, she realized the awful truth and instantly began to regret her decision.
Young And Mortified
When Brooke reached into her pockets she realized she hadn’t brought her all allowance and was short for the donuts. She began to frantically look through her backpack but could feel the crowd staring at her.
She had never been in this situation before. Normally she was with her parents when they came to SHEETZ. She wished the floor could swallow her whole when a voice suddenly broke through her panic.
A Public Save
She could feel the embarrassment burning her cheeks as she quickly counted the change in her hand. Brooke couldn’t believe this was happening and had no idea how to tell the cashier she couldn’t afford the order. Suddenly a kind voice spoke behind her.
“I’ll take care of that purchase.” Brooke looked up and saw a police officer behind her. The little girl didn’t know how to repay the kind officer. She was embarrassed, so she grabbed her donuts and ran back home as fast as possible.
The Run Of Shame
As Brooke ran out of SHEETZ, she was convinced the cop would follow after her. She had never been arrested; she was only 9 years old! When she got to the bottom of the street and realized no one was following her, she stopped to catch her breath.
Brooke couldn’t believe how helpful the officer had been. She was clutching her dessert tightly but didn’t even think that she had earned the treat anymore. She hung her head in shame, but then an idea popped into her head! She knew exactly how to turn the day around and quickly started running home.
The Perfect Note Of Gratitude
The one thing Brooke did better than anyone she knew was writing thank you cards. She hadn’t caught the police officer's name but she knew she could still write a note that would convey how much the experience meant.
She ran the rest of the way home with a smile on her face, already drafting the note to solve all her problems. It would be the most thoughtful thank you card she had ever written and she wanted to get every word exactly right. Brooke had no idea how many people would read her card...
Making It Perfect
When she sat at the kitchen table that night she told her parents what had happened. At first, they were shocked and also a little disappointed. They appreciated Brooke’s plan to say thank you and together chose the words the card would say.
Normally, Brooke wrote thank you cards to people she knew. She liked to give a compliment about what they had done. She didn’t know this officer at all. How could she find the right words to express her gratitude for his generous save?
Honesty Was The Best Policy
Brooke knew that if she was honest, her words would speak loudly. She knew small details to include in her note and hoped it was enough to find the right officer. Her parents read what she had written and they felt very proud.
With one last final secret gift slipped inside the envelope, Brooke and her dad walked to the post box. Brooke felt ten times lighter and hoped her kind police officer saw the note and it made him smile. Instead, mailing the card started a chain reaction of events Brooke would have never predicted.
Opening The Precinct Mail
The patrol commander had many duties at the police office, but there was one he didn’t look forward to. Opening the precinct mail, which normally included bills or angry letters from citizens, did not rank high on his list.
The commander was sorting the mail when one envelope, in particular, caught his attention. He noticed a couple of unique details about the letter, but one thing reall stood out. The envelope was addressed to “The Kind Police Officer”.
The Commander Was Curious….
The patrol commander prided himself on running a supportive and helpful police force. When he saw who the letter was addressed to, he thought this could have included any member of his force.
He quickly opened the envelope and began to read the contents. The commander couldn’t remember the last time the precinct got such a sweet note and he knew he had to track down this officer right away!
What Did Brooke Say?
Brooke had a way with words. She loved to capture the exact deed a person had done and thank them authentically from her heart. Her parents were incredibly proud of her passion for thank you cards.
Whenever someone received a thank you card from Brooke they were touched. They remembered how good it felt to do a good deed. When Brooke had been short money, it was a special time of year. Had this officer's good deed sparked her holiday spirit?
The Meaning Of Christmas
The holiday of Christmas is tough for lots of people. Some people find the act of buying gifts a stressful experience. While everyone was out shopping for their families they lost sight of the true holiday meaning.
Christmas was a time to help those less fortunate. It was the time of year that you remembered your community and offered what you could. Had this young officer performed a Christmas miracle?
An Announcement Was Made
The patrol commander made an announcement and asked which one of his officers had helped a little girl pay for donuts. Whispers went through the room but no one knew what the commander was talking about.
From the back of the room, a hand slowly rose. Officer Chad Savannah stepped forward, but he was confused. Why was his patrol commander making an announcement? The officer had no idea how much his small good deed would change his entire career.
A Private Discussion
The patrol commander asked Officer Savannah to step into his office. When the officer entered the room, the commander shut the door behind him. The officer became nervous. What could this little girl have said about him?
The commander sat down at his desk and asked the officer to tell him what exactly had happened. Officer Savannah was sweating. He didn’t think he had done anything wrong. It was then he saw the note on the patrol commander's desk.
Was This An Over Reaction?
The patrol commander held up the thank you note to Officer Savannah and said he was shocked to receive this in the mail today. The officer opened his mouth to explain, but the patrol commander stopped him.
He gave the officer the note and told him to read it before he asked any questions. As officer Savannah read Brooke’s carefully written note, his eyes began to tear up. He had no idea one small act could be so meaningful.
What Was The Next Step?
Officer Savannah wasn’t in trouble! His patrol commander was thrilled to receive the note. He couldn’t believe the kindness and generosity his officer had shown in the line of duty.
The patrol commander believed that his officer had displayed the true characteristics of a police officer, but Brooke had included a special gift. For a 9-year-old girl, it was the biggest way she could think to repay the officer, but there was no way the force could accept her gesture.
They Had To Call Brookes Parents
The patrol commander figured out who Brooke’s family was and immediately called her parents. When they answered the phone they were surprised to hear it was the local police force.
They knew about the note, but they didn’t think the force would make such a big deal. There was one detail that Brooke had left out to her parents that changed everything. They told the patrol commander they understood the situation and made plans to go into the precinct tomorrow.
The Whole Family Was Going
In the morning, Brooke’s parents told her about the phone call from the police force. They also asked her why she didn’t tell them about the extra special included surprise. Brooke felt like she was in trouble and hung her head in embarrassment.
Her parents were quick to reassure her that she wasn’t in trouble. They were incredibly proud of their daughter and told her she didn’t have to keep these things a secret. They had even bigger news to tell her, and Brooke’s face lit up when she understood the plan!
A Second Meeting
Brooke and her family got in the car and headed to the police station. When they got there, they were surprised to see a local news station van. Brooke had butterflies in her stomach thinking about seeing the kind officer again.
What would happen when the kids at school found out what she had done? Would they tease her or would they think it was cool? As Brooke got out of the car, she made a decision to ignore what anyone else said. She knew what needed to happen next!
A Hero In Blue
Brooke and the officer shared a big hug when she got to the police station. She had a chance to properly thank him and he told her again that it was his pleasure. With the news crew watching, everyone wanted to hear what Brooke had written in the note.
Brooke shyly took the envelope from officer Savannah and faced the news camera. Once she read the words they would be broadcasted all over her town. She took a deep breath and began to recite her carefully crafted note….
A Personal Thank-You
Brooke took a shaky breath and began. “My name is Brooke and I am nine years old. At 8:15 pm on Monday Aug 28 2017 I was at SHEETZ on 68 and Meridian Road. I went to purchase something and didn’t have enough money.”
“A nice police officer behind me kindly paid for my item. I thanked him but I felt bad because I didn’t offer him the money I had.” Brooke began to feel embarrassed. Officer Savannah gave her a nod of encouragement and she began to finish her note.
A Selfless Donation
Brooke had thought of the perfect way to pay back the officer. As she continued reading her note, the camera crew caught every minute. “I didn’t offer the money I had, so I am donating this money. I want to thank this officer again.”
Brooke had signed her thank you card, stayed safe, and enclosed a 10$ bill. She smiled at the camera and gave her rationale. It was incredible to hear how thoughtful this little girl was. Would the police force accept her money?
Brooke Wanted To Give More….
Brooke only had 10$ but she had wanted to repay the officer and make a donation to the force. She was extremely grateful for what they did to serve her community, in and out of donut shops.
Officer Savannah graciously accepted Brooke’s donation, but his patrol commander had one final surprise up his sleeve. He came up next to Brooke and gave her a Christmas present. Brooke was shocked and looked at her parents. Was this true? Could she accept this present?
One Good Deed Deserves Another
The patrol commander stood up and said that his entire force was moved by this young girl's kind gesture. They realized that the size of the donation wasn’t what mattered. It was Brooke’s choice to give a donation and they appreciated her support.
Brooke was only a child. She didn’t have a lot of money besides what she would receive for allowance or birthdays. She had donated her money to the police force and they wanted to return the favor the best way they knew how. She was overwhelmed with the response and the surprises had only just begun.
One Of Two Presents
The entire department thought Brooke was a shining example of children in their community. They were all moved by her thoughtful card and generous donation. Together as a force, they gave Brooke something in return.
The patrol commander handed Brooke an envelope and told her to look inside. With shaking hands Brooke opened the card and gasped! When she looked back at the patrol commander her eyes shone with tears and she started saying THANK YOU, over and over again.
Toys R Us Gift Card
It was the season of giving! The force had contributed 50$ for Brooke to receive a gift card to the local toy store! Brooke could not believe it! She was so excited, but the surprises didn’t stop there.
Officer Savannah stepped forward and gave Brooke a signed letter from the force. He thanked her again for her kind words and told her to enjoy buying toys for herself this Christmas. Brooke had an even better idea.
A Santa Shopping Spree
Every kid loves going to Toys R Us. It’s a large chain toy store that has everything any kid would dream of for Christmas. As Brooke was walking around the store with her parents she began to develop a plan.
When she got to the cashier’s desk, she proudly handed over her gift card. Her mom snapped an excited picture of Brooke with her new toys, but it was then that Brooke revealed what she had in store.
Brooke Made Another Donation
After she was done shopping at Toys R Us, Brooke asked her mom to stop off at the local charity, Toys For Tots. Her mother was speechless. When she asked Brooke why Brooke explained that she was already so fortunate it wouldn’t be right.
The police commander found out and followed up with the local news crew. They hoped at the chance to speak to Brooke again about her generosity. It was the perfect feel good story for Christmas, but would her story change in front of the cameras?
An Onscreen Star
Brooke giggled in the cameras and said nothing was wrong with her. She just wanted to share the toys and joy with those less fortunate in the neighborhood. Brooke’s mother was incredibly proud of her.
“We are just trying to teach our kids what’s right. Everything has been Brooke’s idea and we are so proud of her for her decisions.” The patrol commander was determined to give Brooke something in return, but what would she accept?
A Tour And Presents
The officers at the station decided to get presents for Brooke and asked her to please keep them. Then they decided to take her on a tour of the precinct. Brooke was able to get inside parked patrol cars and learn some history of the force and previous police officers.
Brooke was all smiles when she left the station. She was filled with positivity and couldn’t wait to continue spreading joy and cheer when she could. She solemnly swore to keep her presents and she hopes in the future more people are encouraged to do good deeds for others.