We Are So Blessed

Dear Editor:

I was reminded of how fortunate we are to live in Castro Valley being served by multiple First Responders as I saw an Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy working with an ambulance crew serving one of our fellow residents the week after the recent parade.

The Castro Valley Community and our neighboring communities all came together on May 14 for the Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade.  The parade went smoothly due, in large part, to First Responders from multiple agencies coming together (Sheriff’s Department + East Bay Park Police + CHP + Alameda Fire Department), all co-ordinated by Retired Deputy Sheriff Darby Falkenstine.  In addition to using our current local heroes, the young marines, and Sheriff Reserve officers were committed to ensuring a safe environment for all!  Although many were seen in and throughout the parade route, there were also many others working behind the scenes on the side streets making sure the entries could stage, move to, and enter and exit the parade route safely.

We are so blessed to have men and women like Alameda Sheriff Sergeants Roberto Morales and Marcus Cox and well as Deputy Sheriffs Steven Ogbonna and Luther Thompson as well as East Bay Parks Police Lieutenant David Phulps and CHP Officer Daniel Jacowitz, in addition to the men and women of the Alameda County Fire Department and their EMTs invest months of planning to ensure the safety for all residents, participants and spectators.

We are so Blessed!

–Bruce D. and Linda Lee Johnson, Castro Valley