VICKSBURG, Miss.— Retirees from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) kicked off the holiday season by serving the community’s law enforcement and emergency agencies.
As part of their annual Christmas party on Dec. 19, the ERDC Alumni Association hosted a luncheon, serving gumbo and presenting stuffed animals – known as “comfort critters”— to local agencies. The ERDC Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization established in 2017 to support ERDC employees, retirees and the local community.
The stuffed animals will be kept in emergency vehicles and used by first responders to help comfort children during traumatic situations. Julie Marcy, a member of the organization and former research biologist for nearly 35 years, said that the idea was inspired by a desire to help children while supporting the community’s law enforcement officers.
“The critters are a tool for law enforcement to use to comfort a child who has experienced a traumatic incident like an accident,” said Marcy. “Our goal for the critters is to provide some comfort for a child who is upset and to make our responders’ jobs a little easier.”
Giving back to the community is the association’s mission. Since its inception, the alumni association has assisted with ERDC community events, such as student visits. Additionally, they’ve hosted the ERDC Ice Cream Social for summer interns each year.
These efforts help the community get involved in helping the association reach their goals.
“Servicing our community has always been the purpose of the alumni association,” said Marcy. “Local businesses and individuals have been very generous and supportive of our effort because they know it goes to a good cause.”
Another priority for the group has been providing financial aid for graduating seniors heading to college. The association host a yearly golf tournament at Clear Creek Golf Course in Vicksburg to raise scholarship funds for local students. Ernie Smith, an alumni association member and former research hydraulic engineer for 33 years, spoke about the group being happy to promote educational success.
“There are so many bright students in our community with an interest in topics that ERDC is tackling,” said Smith. “We want to support and encourage those students. They are the ones that will be solving the problems for ERDC and the country in the future.”
Although retired, Smith still enjoys supporting the organization responsible for his career.
“I have lived in Vicksburg for 42 years and had a wonderful career at ERDC,” said Smith. “I had the opportunity to work on unique and challenging problems and was allowed to further my education. ERDC does such impressive things, and I’m proud to have worked there. I want to continue to support the efforts of the Corps of Engineers and ERDC however I can.”
Vicksburg Deputy Chief of Police Bobby Stewart appreciates the organization for their community outreach
“The comfort critters mean a lot to us, especially when we interact with children dealing with traumatic events because the stuffed animals bring us down to a level where we can communicate with them,” said Stewart. “The toys comfort them so much that it eases their pain or take their mind off the situation they had experienced.”
“We thank you all for your donations and continuous support,” Warren County Sherriff Martin Pace told the group. “And we look forward to collaborating more with the alumni association in the future.”