Citizens of Anderson County will have the opportunity to honor our local enforcement and thank them for their service at a special event being held this Saturday. The First Annual Drive to DEFEND the Blue will begin at 10 a.m. at the Anderson County Civic Center parking lot located at 3027 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Anderson.
The event will feature a “parade of vehicles” decorated with flags, signs, paint, etc. with encouraging messages of support for Anderson County Law Enforcement.
There will be law enforcement static displays (including S.W.A.T., armored vehicle, Bomb Squad, K-9 Unit, and the Sheriff’s Department helicopter, weather permitting). There will be T-shirts for sale and Southern Smoke BBQ will have a food truck on site.
“We are hoping that this will be the LARGEST show of support in a long time where we say “Thank you” to our men and women in blue!” co-organizer Dan Harvell said. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have several hundred, if not a thousand or more cars participating?”
Harvell said, “With the recent calls to Defund the Police along with the rioting, looting, burnings, beatings and killing of Police Officers across America, we the citizens of Anderson County are taking a stand against this violence and mayhem. We are gathering in solidarity to say that we unequivocally love, support and DEFEND our Sheriff and Deputies for how they work diligently to keep us safe as a community.”
The Drive to DEFEND the Blue is a COVID-19 compliant way to social distance as participants will all be in vehicles during the parade route. Participants are encouraged to decorate vehicles with flags, signs, paint, etc. with encouraging messages of support for Law Enforcement.
Anyone interested in participating is asked to please be at the Civic Center parking lot by 10 a.m. Participants will gather for a few minutes of festivities then leave promptly at 10:30 a.m. for the parade route which is expected to take about an hour to complete depending on the number of the vehicles involved.
The route will end at the Anderson County Civic Center parking lot where volunteers will be on hand to accept donations on behalf of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Foundation.
“Whether you have an extra $5, $10, $20 or $100, know that the proceeds to the Foundation will go to provide scholarships to children of full-time Deputies and equipment for the officers,” Harvell said.
“God bless America, God bless Anderson County, SC and God bless the men and women in blue who protect us each and every day!”
