An act of kindness, a family’s love of blue

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – It’s amazing the domino effect that one small act of kindness can have. That’s been the case for Tess Rebman and the Cup of Blue.

The Cup of Blue is steadily becoming an annual celebration for law enforcement. The event was created by Tess and her husband, Dan Rebman. This marks the third year of the upcoming celebration and the Rebmans could not be more excited. They have extended the invitation to all law enforcement in the area.

“If you are in the community and are within driving distance, please come. Have a night out with your family. Just bring your badge so we know who you are.” Rebman said .

The Cup of Blue provides free food, music, and fireworks for all law enforcement officers and their families. This upcoming event will be held on Saturday, May 6 at 6 p.m. at North Peach Park in Byron. There will be food, live music by His Way Ministries, fireworks, raffles and multiple speakers.

“We’re going to have speakers from law enforcement and a heartwarming story from the community, how an officer, or two, have actually changed a man’s life. I can’t wait!” Rebman said.

What inspired Cup Of Blue was a story their late son, South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) State Trooper Keith Rebman, used to tell. 

Officer Rebman was helping with evacuation efforts in Charleston, South Carolina during Hurricane Matthew. During the evacuation, a woman stopped her vehicle and brought him a cup of coffee. That single act of kindness stuck with Keith, as he recounted the tale multiple times. 

“I remember his excitement, the sound of his voice, I remember him just telling me the same story over and over, but how much it meant to him. It sticks with you,” Mrs. Rebman said. “So my goal is to hand them a cup of coffee, whether it’s full of kisses, chapstick, a pen, or a note of encouragement, something to make their day just a little bit brighter.”

One year later, on Oct. 24, 2017, Keith was tragically killed in an accident. A pickup truck going 65 miles per hour crashed into Officer Rebman’s parked patrol car. He later passed away while in the hospital. After grieving, Mrs. Rebman began to channel her grief as a way to encourage others.

“As a mom who’s lost a child, it takes a lot out of you. But when you take that pain and you pour it on other people, something starts changing. Something starts healing. Something starts happening within your heart that you could have never thought to happen,”  Rebman said. “There are gift’s in how you leave. Just like there are gifts in how you live. He lived wide open, sweet, always willing to help someone. So, what else can I do but to live the best parts he left behind.”

Tess Rebman was inspired to do something to lift other law enforcement officers. She started with small gifts, just something to brighten their day. As time went on, she wanted to do more. She and her husband started inviting local law enforcement to her home in Marshallville, twice a year, for an Eat-and-Skeet.

“We’ll feed them lunch and shoot skeet with my husband before they have to go back to work. So, it’s something that gives my husband and I encouragement, but it’s more encouraging to see them laugh, shoot the breeze on the front porch, get another glass of tea, and a second helping of whatever we have.” Rebman said..

After joining Church in the Orchard, she voiced her dream of having a picnic in the park where they could serve local law enforcement and their families a nice lunch. The community helped that happen.

Cup of Blue isn’t just for the police departments from the numerous counties of middle Georgia, it is open to all police officers. Tess Rebman has made a habit of welcoming officers, both local and out-of-state.

“Local, like Crawford, Macon, Peach, Bibb, and Houston, I like to go by the departments and personally invite them to come ’cause they’re the closest ones that can drive,”  Rebman said. “We were in Reynolds a couple of weeks ago, doing something, and I stopped by the police department there and asked them. I plan to go to Butler and Roberta, because I think they could send someone. It’s not just to these [counties], it’s to all police officers.”

Tess Rebman hopes that the Cup of Blue can be a force to inspire others and lift up law enforcement. 

“It’s not just a good time, it’s also to pour love into them so that they know that you’re really not out there alone,”  Rebman said. “It feels like it, but that’s not the truth.”

For more information, Cup of Blue can be found on Facebook under the same name or by email at CupOfBlue21@gmail.com.