When former Charlotte-Mecklenburg officer Dee John set out to support first responders after the April 2024 ambush that killed four officers, she started by asking questions. A survey of 600 first responders revealed something important: most won’t seek help in a clinical setting until they’ve already reached a breaking point. What they will do is show up for low-key, outdoor activities alongside people who share their experiences.
That finding became the Pulse Renewal Project, and its first program is called Center Shot Blue. Developed by Pastor Aaron Scheer, a former Sheriff’s Office chaplain, the program combines archery with therapy and peer support. Scheer uses the bowstring as a metaphor for the stress first responders carry every day. You draw back, hold the tension, and release. “When you’re focused on letting that arrow go, you’re not thinking about anything else,” he says. John adds that helpers often believe that if they’re the ones helping, they can’t be the ones receiving help. Center Shot Blue is designed to gently break that pattern.
Here on the Suncoast, first responders face their own pressures, from storm season to the daily unknowns of the job. Pulse Renewal plans to add more programs and eventually a permanent location, offering a model other communities could follow. The approach is simple: meet people where they are, not where we think they should be.
What activity helps you decompress after a hard day? Let us know in the comments.
