The idea of The Hundred Club was born in 1950 in Detroit, Michigan. Law officers and firefighters had been on full alert dealing with social unrest that led to numerous casualties.

In 1950, Detroit auto dealer Bill Packer found a way to assist a police widow. He wrote to 100 friends and associates, asking for $100 each. They responded overwhelmingly, and as a result, the first of The Hundred Clubs was born. Today there are more than 500 members in that Detroit area club and there are clubs like it all over the country.

In the event of an officer's sudden death, The Hundred Club contacts the family to see if there is an immediate need for funds. If so, a check is issued. This initial payment is to provide "right now" relief from tension, confusion and panic regarding money matters.

At the appropriate time, those members of our standing committee who are responsible for financial assistance will review the financial needs of the family and meet with them. Then the committee makes the appropriate disbursement.

There is one more not-so tangible purpose to The Hundred Club.

We say to our law officers, detention officers and firefighters, "You are not alone."

It is getting lonelier out there by the day. In society today, the flagrant irresponsibility and rudeness, the disrespect for order and private property and the insane disregard for human life are bone-chilling and frightening.

Any observant person, looking at our world gone mad, feels alone. But our valiant emergency service officers, who are out there in the reality of the darkened doorway, who must at some point stand their ground, alone, and who are simply expected to be brave and do their job, are also only human.

It is our hope that somehow our contribution will enable them to be a little freer of worry and, as a result, we hope a little more alert, a little faster of reflex, a little less distracted.

We are not ashamed to respect and honor those brave men and women who wear the badge.

St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office
St. Lucie County Fire District
Fort Pierce Police Department
Port St. Lucie Police Department
Florida Highway Patrol (St. Lucie County)
St. Lucie Village Marshall
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (St. Lucie County)
State Attorney, 19th Judicial District
F.B.I. (St. Lucie County)
U.S. Coast Guard (St. Lucie County)
U.S. Customs (St. Lucie County)
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (St. Lucie County)
State of Florida Forestry (St. Lucie County)
Florida Department of Natural Resources: Florida Marine Patrol & Park Rangers (St. Lucie County)
Game and Freshwater Fish Commission (St. Lucie County)
Internal Revenue Service (St. Lucie County)

In the realm of social order, community preservation and the improvement of the quality of our lives, we - all of us - are not alone. In order to remind our peace officers that we realize this, that we stand with them, though in a small way in comparison with what they bring to the community, we choose to honor them.

Participation in The Hundred Club enables each of us to honor our peace officers and to proudly say to each of them, "You are not alone."

• Life Membership - $1500 (One ticket to annual meeting/banquet and one vote)
• Corporate Membership - $250 (Two tickets to annual meeting/banquet and two votes)
• Individual Membership - $100 (One ticket to annual meeting/banquet and one vote)
• Law Enforcement / Firefighter Membership - $50 (One ticket to annual meeting/banquet and one vote)