Law enforcement officers from all over Logan County converged on First Southern National Bank's main office around 11:30 a.m. March 30, but they weren't responding to a crime in progress.
Instead they were raiding the buffet and dessert tables set up for them by bank officers and employees.
"First Southern National Bank is very community oriented and focusing on doing what we can to make it a better place to live," said Branch Manager Kathy Steenbergen, who was serving as one of the hostesses to the group.
"We appreciate the job our law enforcement officers do for our communtiy every day, and we wanted to show our appreciation by providing a lunch for them."
Regional Credit Officer Steve Stuart was ladeling out chili while co-workers Larry Edwards and Keith Cox were keeping the pimento cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches hot and plentiful. Steve Croft kept the glasses filled with tea, soft drinks and water.
Retired Southern States manager Ralph Wright was the first of the bank's Business Advisory Board members to partake of the food. All employees of FSNB in Russellville were scheduled to eat their lunches with the group. Many of them had furnished desserts.
Two of the first guests to arrive were Sheriff Wallace Whittaker and Russellville Police Chief Barry Dill. Whittaker noted his department is on a fitness program while deputies Clarence Gamble and Stephen Stratton stocked their plates. Deputy Charles Dauley was entertaining School Resource Officer Rob Bubacz and Russellville Officer Victor Shifttlett at one of the tables overlooking the main floor of the bank's large downtown location.
Officers from Adairville, Auburn and Lewisburg were also invited.
Steenbergen said that this was the first of several such come-and-go luncheons the bank is planning. Among honorees will be firefighters, EMTs and educators, she said.