President's Thanksgiving Message

Dear Members and Friends,

On behalf of our Executive Board, I would like to wish all of you a very Happy, Healthy and Safe Thanksgiving Holiday.

Some of you will be spending the day with loved ones, while others will be doing what we do most days, keeping our communities safe.

Wherever you find yourself, I hope you enjoy yourself in the spirit of the holiday and know how much we at GOAL appreciate your service.

Likewise I would ask you to remember those in our criminal justice community and in our GOAL Family who are suffering grief or adversity on this Thanksgiving Day. I would ask all of you to please keep our Recording Secretary Phil Raleigh and longtime active GOAL Member Michael O'Donald who have been battling illness these past few months, in your prayers. Also please keep in your thoughts our friends Jimmy King from Phillip Marie Restaurant and Rick Schmutzler from Gym Sports Bar who are currently hospitlaized, but doing well. Regretfully our dear friends Sam Miller from the Detectives Endownment Association and the NYPD Shomrim Society and Lieutenant Tony Giorgio of the NYPD Ceremonial Unit also have lost their mothers over the past two days. Our thoughts are with them as well.

Even in the face of adversity, we have much to be thankful for. On this day, I am incredibly grateful for the trust you have put in me to lead the Gay Officers Action League and I am equally thankful for all of you and all that you bring to our organization. You are my inspiration. I may be the voice, but all of you are the message. Thank you again.

Fraternally,

Brian E. Downey

President