Ventura County's NTW Celebration

[Guest guest]

Our agency celebrates NTW in high style. We are not shy about starting

the ball rolling on our own, and continuing it if we must. We decorate

the center with balloons, flowers even a disco ball and music. Placed

handmade posters on all entrances to the center announcing the

Celebration and inviting any and all to come in, introduce yourselves

and say hello. Many of us donated gift certificates and items for

raffles amongst ourselves. Some of us (found out I have a gift for

getting positive responses for donations) solicited gift certificates

from local businesses, who were more than generous. We were so

successful that all 28 Dispatchers, 4 Supervisors, the Training

Coordinator, the 911 systems Coordinator and the Com Center Manager all

received a gift.(Thanks I will enjoy my 1 hr massage) Our staff

also treated each of us to a special gift bag which included a " My Work

# is 9-1-1 " license frame and a Ventura Sheriff ID card holder (all the

latest rage with the brass!). We also were served a submarine sandwich

and a cake for each squad, we have 4, paid for by our command staff and

the Watch Captains. We had an inhouse contest in which we all brought

our baby pictures in and whoever guessed the most correctly got a $50.00

gift certificate to Hungry Hunter. I might have gotten it, if they

hadn't put in some ringers (one of the captains pictures was

submitted). In honor of our chosen Dispatcher of the year, we got to

come in to work in 70's garb 2 days this week It was hilarious and a

great change of pace. A few of the deputies came in bearing treats and

thank you's, which for me was the most meaningful. If the field units

acknowledge us, then I know we've done the job right.

Our dispatchers also send out certificates to each of the agencies in

the county letting them know that we acknowledge and appreciate all that

they do.

County wide dispatchers hold a banquet where each agency is invited to

present their chosen dispatcher of the year with plaques, awards, gifts,

and a thank you from each agencies brass. We will be having our banquet

on the 20th, and it's always a whole lotta fun. We also solicited and

received donations for dinners, free train rides, rounds of golf, and

other wonderful prizes which will be given out as raffle prizes. These

donations help raise the money to pay for the banquets. Our Ventura

County Deputy Sheriffs Association each year pays for tickets for as

many of us dispatchers as want to go, which again goes to show the

support we have from the troops.

All in all I have to say we have it good and I feel appreciated most all

of the year by the people that matter.

Now we just gotta get organized and start an annual countywide

dispatcher's BBQ, I think it would be an excellent way to meet the

voices we talk to each and every day.

Debbie

Ventura County, Ca