A “Blessing of the Badges” ceremony will be returning for its second year to New Carlisle’s Heritage of Flight Festival. The ceremony will take place on Oct. 2 at 3:00 pm on the Main Stage.
The organizer of the non-denominational Blessing of the Badges ceremony is Jerry Meddock Jr. who serves as Chaplain for the Bethel Twp. Fire Dept. and works as a Firefighter and EMT at the New Carlisle Fire Dept.
According to Meddock, last year’s Blessing of the Badges event was extremely well-received, prompting the ceremony’s return, “The First Responders really enjoyed and appreciated the (ceremony). It is something different and shows them how important they are and how much they mean to the community.”
All First Responders, Military personnel, and Law Enforcement officers are invited to take part in the ceremony by bringing their badges to be blessed. The 2016 ceremony is also being opened up to nurses and workers in the medical field. Those without badges may bring a piece of equipment they use regularly at work to be blessed.
All First Responders are asked to wear their Class A or Duty uniform to the ceremony. This includes all Fire, EMS and LEOs, Military personnel, Nurses or anyone else in the Medical Field. However, it is not necessary to have a badge or Class A uniform to attend.
Meddock says he got the idea for the ceremony when he saw one in Michigan last year.
“I just thought it was a great idea because those people see and go through so much on the job. We take the time to honor everybody and what they do...We talk about the history and meaning of the badges, then say a prayer and blessing over them. Anyone who wants to participate can then come forward and we anoint each badge with anointing oil.
Families of the First Responders and community members are invited to attend the ceremony and show support for the participants. The event includes several speakers and the overall feeling of the event is one of celebration. However, the ceremony does have its solemn moments.
“We do take the time to remember the fallen from the past year. The bell tolls for the firefighters, there is a 21-gun salute, Taps is played, and Care-flight does a fly-over...so it can get a little emotional at the end.”
Last year, 75 people participated in last year’s ceremony and over 200 attended it. Meddock says if the large number of positive comments he received after last year’s event is any indication, that number will likely increase this year.
After the Blessing of the Badges, folks are invited to take part in a family “Touch-a-Truck” event after the Blessing ceremony. The Touch-a-Truck event will run from 3:30-5:00.
A DJ will also be playing music this year so families can do some dancing in the street with Meddock, who says he is also known as “The Dancing Chaplain.”
“We are going to have a great time and hope lots of people come to check out all of the trucks and go dancing with me!”
To register any Fire/EMS or Police apparatus for the Touch a Truck event contact Meddock at 937-543-2274.
