Salute to Lowndes Counties Finest 2009

Columbus, MS - On Friday, September 11, 2009, The CPI Group, Inc. along with other area companies and volunteers organized and supported a luncheon to pay tribute to all of the first responders in Lowndes County who keep us safe 24/7. The list of honorees includes all Police, Fire, Sheriff and EMT personnel as well as State Troopers, Department of Corrections and all federal law enforcement officials and CAFB first responders. Other generous sponsors were American Eurocopter, Columbus Bank Association, Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers, Domtar Paper Company, Dowdle Gas Company, Galloway, Chandler, McKinney Insurance, Golden Triangle Regional Airport, JTS Mortgage Company, Little Dooey's, Mississippi Steel Processing, LLC, Attorney Rod Ray, and Weyerhaeuser Company.

Officer Terrie Songer of The Columbus Police Department commented that "Salute 2009 is by far the best event we have ever had here at the station, people are still talking about it and I believe it will be even bigger next year. The event could not have been such a huge success without the sponsors, goody bag donators, and volunteers. We appreciate all the effort everyone involved put in to make the event a great memory."

This was an event that CPI President Mark Smith began in 2002 after he experienced this tragedy first hand being assigned as a civilian counterpart to the New York City Police Department after 9/11. Smith was permitted to observe on site at Ground Zero the recovery efforts following the attack. "It was a surreal experience", Smith said. "One I will never forget."