Serving up stuffed animals to Berthold community

Chief Al Schmidt, known throughout the Berthold community as “Officer Al,”, has been receiving toy donations from Lisa Fenner and her daughter, Jade Fenner-Zaste, for around a year and a half.

This collaboration began on both ends in different ways, with the goal of service ultimately bringing the parties together.

Jade, 11, is in sixth grade and is an active Girl Scouts member. Jade was presented with her Girl Scouts Bronze Award this spring in recognition of her volunteer work.

“I think I spent 20 some hours helping the community,” Jade said.

Submitted Photo
Chief Al Schmidt of the Berthold Police Department is up to his neck in stuffed animal donations from mother-daughter duo Lisa Fenner and Jade Fenner-Zaste, respectively.

Jade’s initial service project was making gift baskets and tie blankets for local foster children and children in need. Jade included toiletries and stuffed animals in these baskets.

Shortly thereafter, Jade and her mom reached out to Schmidt to see if there was anything they could do to help serve the Berthold Police Department and community at large.

It just so happened Schmidt had the perfect service idea for Fenner and her daughter Jade. For the last eight years, Schmidt has been part of a large Christmas holiday donation drive.

Schmidt began utilizing some of the extra toys and stuffed animals from the drive during traffic stops because he saw how much of an impact they made on young children.

Schmidt had realized handing out stickers during traffic stops to children who were upset was not nearly as effective in calming them as stuffed animals and other toys were. Schmidt told the mother-daughter duo about what he had been doing and thus the collaboration was born.

“With God’s grace we’re able to help him out,” Fenner said. Fenner and Jade have been donating stuffed animals, board games and other toys to Schmidt’s police department ever since.

“None of this is purchased. It’s either been donated by friends, family, relatives or the community,” Fenner said. “I always support other people keeping things from going to a landfill. Because kids grow out of stuffed animals and what do you do with them? Why send them to the landfill? Look at all these. They’re like new. There’s nothing wrong with any of them.”

After receiving donations, Fenner and Jade first sorts through all of the stuffed animals and toys they’re given and washes them up. The toys are then bagged and stored safely in Fenner’s garage or storage shed as they await pick up.

Schmidt picks up the toys roughly every other month.

“When he comes they fill his car. He doesn’t have any room. It’s usually him, his dog and the stuffed animals. And sometimes he can’t even bring his dog,” Fenner said. “Officer Al messaged me after he picked up stuff last time and said, ‘I already gave out a bag of animals,’ and it hadn’t even been more than a day and a half.”

Schmidt hands out the stuffed animals and toys at just about every traffic stop with a child in the vehicle, which adds up to about 40-50 toys per month.

Schmidt keeps the majority of the toys in a storage area at City Hall but periodically re-stocks the squad car with 10 or so toys to make sure there’s enough on hand at any given time.

“I try to carry some toys for different ages,” Schmidt said. “All the way from toddlers to maybe early teens.

“I had some board games that were donated from another individual and I handed those out and the kids really loved them. And then I thought, ‘Well, that might be a good thing for the kids and the parents,’ a gift the whole family can interact with. A gift of togetherness for the family,” Schmidt said. Fenner and Jade donate board games in addition to the stuffed animals as a result of this realization of Schmidt’s.

The children and parents are almost always surprised and thankful upon receiving a stuffed animal, toy or board game from Schmidt.

“People in our area are good people and kind people and appreciative and so that’s the kind of reaction I get when I bring up a toy for the children,” he said.

Although this collaboration is less than two years old, Schmidt and Fenner have known each other for much longer.

“We used to live in the same neighborhood when we were young. So yeah, I’ve known her for 40 some years,” Schmidt said.

The two lost touch for a number of years until Fenner reached out to Schmidt about Jade’s volunteer work.

“I just like helping people in general wherever I can. I’m a giver. I’d rather give than receive. I have a hard time receiving. I love giving. So wherever I can help, I do,” Fenner said. Fenner is also a foster parent and believes this has influenced her decision in wanting to donate items.

“A stuffed animal given to a foster kid probably means a lot to them because they probably don’t get this stuff very often. You know it’s probably something they’re going to cherish,” Fenner said.

Jade also has a giving nature and has volunteered her time to Matthew 25 Project in addition to her Girl Scouts service. Jade and Fenner also donated school supplies to Matthew 25 Project for students in need attending Sunnyside Elementary School.

For Schmidt, giving out the stuffed animals and toys is a creative way of doing his job and serving his community while also showing children police officers are friendly and kind.

“I think it shows that law enforcement, especially myself, has a soft side and caring side. There’s more to the job than writing tickets or arresting people. A big part of the job is serving. Serve and protect, it’s part of your job; it’s part of the title. And when you raise your right hand and take an oath, you swear to serve your community,” Schmidt said.

For Schmidt, building trust and rapport with parents and children of his community help him in doing his job.

“When I show up for a call, it’s not a police officer. It’s almost a friend. It’s ‘Al’s here’ or ‘Officer Al’ or whatever. People are more likely to be honest about stuff that’s going on and trust you if they know how you handle stuff and they know that you will address the situation and follow it through,” Schmidt said. “Because of that, it keeps the city safer and the people safer and happier.”

Schmidt’s goal in approaching his job with a human touch is to signal to his community that he sees his residents as people and they can see him as a person as well.

“Our police department does a lot with the community and not just police officer jobs. We’ll shovel elderly people’s walks. We’ll open people’s car doors when they’re locked. We help kids look for their dog, I pick up groceries for elderly people and deliver them if I have time. I deliver turkey dinners,” Schmidt said. “I encourage them to call me no matter what, even if they don’t know if it’s police related.”