For the second year in a row, the Honor Our Firsts Board has donated funds from their annual gala to support local first responder training initiatives at Wayne Community College.

Members of the board, along with representatives from the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and local nonprofit Rewarding Responders, presented a check for $10,000 to the Foundation of WCC to be used for the College’s Public Safety programs and initiatives.

“We are truly grateful for the donation that Honor Our Firsts has presented to the Public Safety Division,” said WCC’s Dean of Public Safety Angie Blizzard. “The thoughtful contribution will go toward the purchase of an ambulance for our Emergency Medical Services program.”

The Honor Our Firsts Gala began so that first responders could enjoy an evening out in the community they serve. “We just wanted to give back. They give so much of themselves,” said Liz Arnette, founder of Honor Our Firsts.

“They get to have fun, but in the meantime, the gala also raises money to give back to causes that support them, and a lot of that support is to train new first responders, which we desperately need in Wayne County,” Arnette said.

The third annual Honor Our Firsts Gala will be held March 23, 2024.