TORRINGTON – It always shows character and class for those that think about our older citizens and include them in our daily thoughts and hearts.

Just like we strive every day to think about providing, protecting and caring for our children, it behooves everyone to view our senior citizens in the exact same light.

They have worked hard, paid their dues and have taken on everything life has had to throw at them over the course of many years.

They deserve our constant respect and support.

With those thoughts being ingrained in the minds of a few county officials, four individuals took it upon themselves on behalf of their respected departments to do something extremely beneficial and considerate for our cherished seniors.

As hundreds of Goshen seniors calmly entered the cafeteria of the Goshen County Senior Friendship Center late Wednesday morning, a special sight was to be seen as one would walk in for a tasty hot meal.

Piled up neatly against the wall were hundreds of bright sky-blue buckets, filled with important winter traveling supplies to be given to any Goshen County senior that cared to have one.

With a little help from governing state officials, Friendship Center Executive Director Linda Cockett, Goshen Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Bozeman, Goshen Public Health Response Coordinator Ryan Wunibald and Fort-Laramie Emergency Response Coordinator Mike Doan put together a simple yet enormous project to help keep our senior citizens safe this winter.

Each individual bucket contained crucial winter preparedness supplies such as water bottles, flashlights, blankets, batteries and even can openers.

“These were in part provided generously by the Wyoming Department of Homeland Security,” Bozeman said. “They are filled with much needed emergency supplies if these folks find themselves caught outdoors this winter.” 

“A lot of them are excited to have them in their cars,” Cockett added. “We were so excited to partner with Goshen Emergency Management, Goshen County Public Health and Fort-Laramie Emergency Response. We always want to be doing anything we can to help and protect our seniors.”

As a typical Wednesday lunch would begin at the Friendship Center, there would be a total of 140 buckets put together to start.

By the time lunch had ended, not one was left.