Redwood City, CA
1-800-348-8911

(May 21, 2003)

Kevin-

My name is Michelle Claussen .  I wanted to send a personal Thank you and tell you how wonderful and appreciated all of your help and support has been these past few days.  Today is the day of Tracey's services and it is a very emotional day.  I am sobered by thoughts of how "fast it can all end" and want to take a minutes out of my day to let you know what is happening in our small community.

First of all our comm center is being run by the Porter County Sheriffs Department allowing all of the 11 dispatchers to attend this afternoon.  They also have generously offered to cover the midnight shift so that we all can take a little time to collect ourselves and regroup before we try to go back to business as usual tomorrow.  Local businesses have donated food and drink for them. 

A local bank has set up a memorial fund for Tracey and her children and my understanding is that help is coming in from indivuduals as well as local businesses.

The Portage Fire Department has a fund raiser in the works.  Also our officers are working on a Large scale event that is scheduled for June 29th at the local American Legion.  They will have all of us dispatchers cooking and have secured the group "Guns and Hoses" ( compliled of police and firefighters) playing.

I have talked to our CIO and he will be placing me in touch with the local MADD chapeter to see how we can help the kids and family there.

As for today, after the services and a dinner, all of us dispatchers will return to the comm center and will give our final good bye to Tracey by going over the air and reading her 10-42. ( our local end of tour 10 code)

So many emotions and things that have been said and felt by everyone the past 5 days are too numeruos to mention.  Tracey was loved more than she probably knew.  Unfortunatly , we will never have the chance to tell her these things.  It seems small in comparison but I hope that what is happening today brings her children and family some comfort in the weeks to come.

On a personal note, I am one of those people that believes in my heart that everything happens for a reason.  I cant imagine who Donna and I would have turned too initially if our department hadnt sent us to that class in Bloomington .  We both went back singing praises about the class and the "awesome" instructor.  We asked the first day if we couldnt look into hosting a class just to expose more of our coworkers to what you had to say and how you can make a dispatcher feel about what we do everyday.  As a profession we are misunderstood and underestimated.  So many people this we just answer phones.  They are so wrong.

I apologize if I have rambled.  I now must close and get back to the events of the day.
THANK YOU KEVIN.  And if you are in Portage on June 29th, cmon by the legion!!   I know we all would like to give you a hug and let you know about our friend.

Sincerely and with thanks

Michelle Claussen

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