DELMAR, Md. - The community in Delmar celebrated Heacook Festival over the weekend to honor Corporal Keith Heacook, who lost his life in the line of duty on April 28, 2021.
Doug Marshall, the founder of Heacook Fest, said he organized this event to not only honor Corporal Heacook but all law enforcement.Â
"Our goal is to bring awareness to what a police officer has to go through on his day to day," Marshall said.Â
The festival, holding true to its mission, also honored Corporal Glenn Hilliard of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office, who died in the line of duty in June 2022. Hilliard's wife, Toshica Hilliard said the support she's felt from the community and Heacook Fest is touching.
"If I see people out wearing a Hilliard bracelet, t-shirt, sweatshirt, whatever it is, if I see you, I'm going to go up to you and thank you for your support," she said. "... That brings my husband back to life every time I see it."
For Marshall, the premise of this festival was simple: supporting first responders.
"This event is not just about a police officer who laid down his life, it's about wanting to help you mentally carry through the rest of your career," Marshall said. "We as people may not agree on everything but one thing we can agree on is that food and music are a great uniter of people."
The proceeds from Heacook Fest go to charities like Tunnel to Towers, Behind the Line and Operation We Care, all charities benefit law enforcement and their families. The hope is that this event will wake people up to the much needed unity and togetherness of all members of communities across the country.Â
"As a community, we all need to come together and maybe we can avoid some tragedies that we've been seeing recently," Hilliard said. "If we can come together, hand in hand and back the blue, it would mean the world."Â