ETBU Tiger Athletes gather to show appreciation to Marshall Fire Chief Reggie Cooper and the Marshall Fire Department.
August 29, 2019
East Texas Baptist University presented a check for $1,000 to Marshall Fire Chief Reggie Cooper for the Marshall Fire Department’s Historic Bell project. On August 29 at the presentation ceremony, ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn shared his appreciation and gratitude for the sacrifices made by firefighters and EMS responders.
“East Texas Baptist University is honored to pay tribute to the sacrificial service of the men and women who serve in our Marshall Fire Department and Emergency Management Services,” Dr. Blackburn said. “We are grateful for their support to our campus community, and we salute the leadership of Chief Reggie Cooper in restoring this historic bell.”
The Historic Bell project was started by the Marshall Fire Department with the goal to have the 900 pound bell, dating back to 1877, mounted at Central Fire Station in time for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s “Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters” tribute, which will take place in October as part of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.
ETBU has a close relationship with MPD and the public servants that serve the City of Marshall. The University and the City of Marshall partnered to provide the Public Servant Scholarship to reduce the cost of tuition at ETBU for all full-time Marshall Fire Department firemen, Marshall Police Department officers, Texas DPS troopers, Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies, and Marshall EMS responders. The scholarship covers one-half of undergraduate tuition and one-third of graduate tuition.
“Growing up in this community, it’s just amazing to see the changes that this campus has made toward the community,” Chief Cooper said. “ETBU is a big part of growing this community and putting Marshall on the map, and so it’s really exciting to be a part of this historic event of trying to get this bell project going. The outpouring of commitment from ETBU has just been outstanding, I’m telling you, I love it. I love ETBU and love being a part of this community.”