Gov. Stein Joins 200 Club Meeting to Honor Wake County First Responders

At the Lenovo Center in Raleigh on March 18, WakeMed Garner Police Officer Roger Smith, shot and killed in the line of duty last November, was among the fallen first responders at the center of The 200 Club of Wake County's 25th annual luncheon, with Gov. Josh Stein in attendance to honor those who have given their lives protecting the county.

The 200 Club honored Officer Smith as well as 17 other first responders who lost their lives in the past 25 years at the Wednesday event. Smith's older brother, Thomas, said being an officer was his passion, and that he died doing what he loved most, protecting his community. Thomas noted Roger served as a police officer for over 35 years and that the two of them served together in the fire service.

Stein said he was honored to be a guest at the 25th annual luncheon and that he could not be prouder of the men and women who serve Wake County, especially after the dangerous weather events of the past few months. He pointed to a specific rescue as evidence of that pride: "During one of those ice storms, we had an 11-year-old boy in Holly Springs fell through the ice walking on a pond. Officer Evans, who was on patrol nearby, jumped into the lake immediately to save that young man. Then, he put him in his car, turned on the heat to keep him from getting hypothermia," Stein said.

"First responders run toward danger when others might flee, and they face real challenges in their work," said Governor Josh Stein. "They deserve support for their sacrifices and pay that reflects their value."

For 25 years, the 200 Club of Wake County has supported the families of fallen Wake County first responders through immediate financial assistance and scholarships for their children and spouses. The organization's reach extends beyond Raleigh to cover first responders living or working anywhere in Wake County, whether employed by Cary, Wake Forest, Knightdale, Garner, Apex, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Rolesville, Zebulon, Wendell, or any other government unit in the county.

"The 200 Club of Wake County is proud to support the families of first responders who have given their lives protecting our community. For more than 25 years, we have had the privilege of standing beside these families, providing immediate financial assistance during their most difficult moments," said Barry Long, President of The 200 Club of Wake County. "We remain deeply committed to honoring their sacrifice and look forward to continuing our support of Wake County's dedicated first responders and their families."

The governor's appearance at the luncheon came with a concrete policy commitment. Stein said he is backing a plan to raise pay for first responders as part of his "Critical Needs" Budget Proposal. Last week, he announced a $1.4 billion Critical Needs Budget to address the state's most urgent priorities while lawmakers continue to work on a comprehensive state budget, with proposed funding to make state law enforcement roles more competitive, including a 6.5% raise for juvenile court counselors and probation and parole officers and a 10% raise for correctional officers, state law enforcement officers, and youth counselors.