Driving past the Washington Civic Center on Saturday night, one would have seen a full parking lot, with cars spilling onto the surrounding streets and even the parking lot of First United Methodist Church. One might have heard the band playing or the feet stomping in time to the music.

One might have also heard the announcements made as a diverse crowd sat down to dinner at the annual Beaufort County Police Activities League fundraising dinner and dance. These announcements drew six people forward out of the crowd to stand before their peers and the community they serve.

For the first time, this year PAL had the public weigh in on recognizing first responders who have gone above and beyond their regular duties, making a lasting impact in some cases, saving lives in others. Though these men and women have been recognized in their own departments — whether police, fire, EMS, telecommunications — through PAL, their actions became more widely known. They were held up as shining examples of first responders to an appreciative audience.

While Beaufort County PAL’s focus is on the learning experience, primarily STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities for children who may not have extra-curricular access to programs involving boats, planes, computers and more, there is another focus — that of bridging the gap between a larger community and the people who serve that community as its first responders.

But sometimes both those things happen simultaneously. For two years, First Responders Day has, for one day, taken over Washington-Warren Airport, pulling in local, state and federal agencies to meet and greet the public and share a little bit about what they do with anyone who is interested. Based on attendance, many, many people are interested. Based on the number of young people fascinated with the tools of these agencies’ trade (piloting a robot; climbing aboard aircraft and strapping into a jump seat) that interest may translate into a future career in law enforcement, the military or other government agencies.

This is all to say that PAL is serving an important role in Beaufort County, outside of its afterschool and summer programs for children. Saturday night’s affair was an opportunity to engage with first responders in a non-emergency situation, support the PAL mission of exposing children to potential career paths. But it was also an opportunity to realize that everyday heroes exist among us.

For more about PAL’s first responder awards, see the Nov. 15 edition of the Washington Daily News.