Survival 11 is over, but not forgotten. Now I have a few months to get ready for Spring Break which will happen the day before Easter. Our events today are different than when I started years ago. For one, back then it was a Tripp thing. Today it is a COPP’S Team thing. It is more organized than in the past, but the mission is the same; to save the lives of those that fall through the cracks, by providing the materials they need to survive.
Some think the services we provide is just a band-aid. Well call it what you want, But when I see a child pick up a toy at our events, or a mother picking out clothes for her children, or a gentleman with rags on his back getting a warm coat and I know I personally had something to do with it? Then I’ll settle for a band aid.
I’ll never forget one time a Rabbi said to me something that struck a nerve? I was feeling real good about all the people we were helping, and the rabbi said “Yes Mr Tripp. You serve a lot of people, and you have a good turn out, but wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have one?” He was right.
Over the years God has blessed me by sending me very special people to help me pursue my mission in life of making a difference for many with his blessings. My team is the best in the Midwest. We are able to do what most say can’t be done in regards to starting with nothing and making every event a success.
Some of the members of that special team are; John Isenberg, Bill Intrater, Rose Whorton, Dawn Marriott, Dawn Williams, George Arnold, Sue Burnham, Sandra Ghosheh, Cynthia Moss, Paul Doss, Nancy Hamm , Andi Keller, Keith Kreutz, Thom &Tommy Parkinson, and Mike & Diane Conner. These are just some of the people that makes our events work. There are many more.
And then comes my most prized possession… YOU, my hundreds of volunteers that have helped us do our mission over the years. Not only by supplying the work force for our events, but also by supporting us by donating the materials and financial backing that it takes to make the events work. I tell you something… I feel truly blessed.
And for the final statement on this blog, I would like to thank Planet Aid for all their help at the Survival 11 event. In 29 years we have never been able to provide coats and blankets to all? That was in the past. Thanks to planet aid we were able to not only provide our clients those materials but also several other non-profit organizations got what we had left. Thanks to Planet Aid, a lot of people that could of died will survive in our community.
Richard G Tripp
Pictured left to Right:
Jackson County Sherriff Mike Sharp
Jackson County Legislature Dist 1- Scott Burnett
COPP Director Richard Trip