Warden Police give back for Thanksgiving

WARDEN — Warden Police Department officers and staff celebrated Thanksgiving with a charitable project, then took it a step further.

Chief Rick Martin said the project started with Thanksgiving baskets for seven families in Warden who were facing tough times. Some lost family members recently to the coronavirus or cancer.

“We just collected donations within the police department and the fire department (Grant County Fire District No. 4),” he said.

The WPD and fire department distributed Thanksgiving baskets Nov. 21.

That project gave WPD clerk Paula Martinez and senior WPD officer Greg Talbot an idea.

Warden has a group of shelterless people living near town who sometimes come into the police department for help, Martinez said. Martinez and Talbot started talking about providing the people Thanksgiving dinner.

“One thing led to another, and we said, ‘Why not? Let’s just do it,’” Martinez said.

Martinez cooked the turkey and stuffing, and Talbot made the mashed potatoes and gravy, she said. Along with the food, they delivered some donated clothing and sleeping bags.

“It just seemed to fit,” Martin said.

“We’re just trying to do good things,” Martinez added.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.