Litchfield Rescue Squad members and Litchfield firefighters received cookies and special coins Tuesday, a sign of support from a young admirer and the community as a whole.
The first responders gathered at the fire hall to hear the stories of Sophina Merry Jane Lindquist, 13, and her mother’s relationship with first responders throughout the state of Minnesota.
A meal was served, accompanied by fresh-baked cookies distributed by Sophina, and made by her mother.
At the end of the meal, each firefighter and responder received a Life Coin they were encouraged to carry with them at all times.
Lindquist has been sharing her cookies with firefighters and law enforcement for eight years, starting with one fire department in St Cloud. Through word of mouth, her cookies and cheer spread to others in the area, then the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. The Life Coin distribution was added in January 2020 to offer a lifeline for members of the first responder community who need support.
The Life Coins were created by Carol Castle whose son Maury Roemhild, a Maple Grove firefighter, committed suicide in 2017. Castle wanted to provide a way for first responders to find help. She researched 16 different hotlines and found one that fit her criteria: answered by public safety professionals who were trained to handle the calls and that there wouldn’t be a list of names and phone numbers kept. Each coin has this hotline phone number engraved on it.
The coins cost money, though. Sophina raised $8,500 for around 5,000 coins. Marcy and Todd Anderson, owners of Fantastic Sams in Litchfield, donated money toward the campaign so that all 60 members of the city's rescue squad and fire department would receive a coin.
According to Litchfield Fire Chief Kurt Beckstrand, the departments have talked about mental health. There have been training sessions dealing with ways to manage and cope with the stress of their duties.
When asked about the coins specifically, Beckstrand said, “I believe a lot of us will be carrying this coin with us.”
