Wichita officer says gifts from church remind him of job importance during tough times

The best part of the gifts delivered to Wichita police and staff at the patrol south station was the personalized notes, according to Immanuel Lutheran Church member Barbara Dilli.

Dilli brought the idea to the church’s board of social concerns and they ran with it.

On Thursday, 120 personalized hand towels wrapped with other goodies, including the hand-written notes, were delivered to the station at 211 E. Pawnee, near Broadway. The towels say: “WICHITA POLICE DEPARTMENT THANK YOU for your service Immanuel Lutheran Church.” They also had the Wichita flag on them.

The notes were written by congregation members ages 4 to 94, Dilli said.

“Hi I’m Koryn and I’m 12,” one note says. “Thank you for protecting us and looking out for us! Thank you and God Bless!”

Dilli said she hopes the gesture will inspire others to thank first responders. The total cost of the gifts came to about $800, including $200 to the Wichita Police Department Homeless Outreach Team.

Tennis balls and American flag bandanas were given to the K-9s and there were also fruit baskets. Lt. Drew Seiler, who grabbed his gift and an orange, said the outpouring of community gifts started after the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis in May after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

The death also sparked calls to defund police and protests against police brutality in Wichita and across the nation.

“I can tell you in 22 years I have never experienced anything like” what has happened in 2020, Seiler said, adding officers go to calls when people are at their worst. “And we take that home with us ... You start wondering, ‘Am I making a difference?’”

Seiler said responses like what Immanuel Lutheran Church did keeps him going.

“This has been a good day,” Seiler said. “This is a good day.”