We are beyond grateful to Officer Monica Dorsey of the Springfield Police Department for her dedication to her community and for choosing Starfish Assignment as the recipient of a $5,000 donation from SCHEELS as part of their Hometown Hero Award!
Officer Dorsey’s passion for service shines through in everything she does—from her leadership in Books & Badges, which has brought officers into classrooms to promote literacy, to her work supporting seniors and mentoring children in after-school programs. Her dedication to building relationships and supporting others makes a huge difference for so many.
When she shared the news of this award with us, Officer Dorsey told us how much our partnership means to her and how she often thinks of the parable of the starfish on difficult days. It’s a reminder that even when the work feels overwhelming, every act of kindness matters. Just as the child in the story made a difference to each starfish he threw back into the ocean, Officer Dorsey makes a difference—one person, one book, one moment at a time.
In her honor, we’ve included the entire parable below.
Thank you, Officer Dorsey, for your incredible heart and commitment. Thank you to the Springfield Police Department for your support of community initiatives. And thank you to SCHEELS for recognizing the power of service and generosity. This award is well-deserved!
The Starfish Parable:
One day, a man was walking along a beach when he noticed a boy picking up starfish and throwing them into the ocean.
The man asked, “What are you doing?”
The boy replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
The man laughed. “There are miles of beach and thousands of starfish. You can’t possibly make a difference.”
The boy listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish, and gently tossed it into the surf. He smiled and said, “I made a difference to that one.”
