Content warning: intimate partner violence
When Assistant Fire Marshal Jeremy Cabe and Public Safety Communications Fire/EMS Manager Michael Salley heard about the community effort to build back what is now known as the Candace Pickens Memorial Park, they knew that was how they wanted to spend their community service hours.
“Coming from a background in local law enforcement, I remember well the tragic loss of Candace Pickens and her unborn child, as well as the devastating injury to her son, Zachaeus at the Jones Park Playground in 2016,” says Jeremy. "With Michael having a similar background at the County, and being a former BCSO Deputy, we heard that community members were organizing to rebuild the park and rename it the Candace Pickens Memorial Park. We both thought this would be a great way to give back to the community.”
Jeremy shared that they spent their time on the chop saw detail cutting, organizing, and labeling materials for assembly. “We were surrounded by hundreds of other volunteers who had dedicated their time to make the playground a reality. It was a great day.”
The park was completed on Monday, Oct. 9.
