MANSFIELD, Ohio — Two local law enforcement officers made a little girl’s day last month.
While eating lunch at Athens Greek Restaurant in downtown Mansfield with her mother Melissa Berkshire, 4-year-old Makena Berkshire couldn’t help but notice two law enforcement officers, Sgt. Brad Henderson with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and Patrolman Keith Swisher with the Shelby Police Department, seated nearby.
“She got so excited,” Melissa said. “She loves police officers and firefighters. She knows that they’re there for the good.”
Makena told her mom that she wanted to buy each of the officers a cookie, so they did and delivered the cookies to the officers. “They were so nice to her,” Melissa described.
Excitedly, Makena shook hands with the officers, thanking them for their service to the community.
“With her kind gesture we decided that we were going to take care of their bill,” Swisher said. “So we finished up our lunch and as we were heading out the door, we shook the little girl’s hand and told her how much we appreciated what she did, and then we took care of their bill and left the business.
“We thought we’d give back when she gave to us.”
When the waitress informed the Berkshires that the officers paid for their bill, Makena became even more excited. “It was all she could talk about that day,” Melissa said.
Melissa later posted about the kind act on her Facebook page, thanking the officers for their nice gesture.
“They just made her day, and it made my day,” Melissa said.
Melissa said she hopes to continue doing acts of kindness with her daughter in the future.
“We picked up trash last year in the community and she just loved it,” Melissa said.
“It’s good to invest that [kind of behavior] into their little brains now,” she said. “And hopefully that stays with them.”
