Businesses, teachers pitch in to help wounded Raleigh officer, family
Businesses across the Triangle and teachers statewide are stepping up to help a Raleigh police officer shot in the line of duty last week and his wife, a local school teacher.
Posted — Updated"[He's] better than what he was before, but it is going to be a long haul," said Justin Van Winkle, a good friend of Ainsworth's who said the shooting "threw me into shock, grief, anger."
Van Winkle said he and Ainsworth used to tend bar together before his friend entered the Raleigh Police Academy. Van Winkle's current employer, the Hibernian Pub in Raleigh, was among the businesses trying to help Ainsworth and his family pay medical bills and other expenses.
The pub donated 10 percent of sales from its locations on Wednesday to a fund set up to help Ainsworth.
"This is just one small part of what we can do to help them," said Susan Kempen, the manager at the Hibernian at 311 Glenwood Ave. "I am a stepmom of two people in law enforcement. My heart goes out to you guys. Anything else we can do to help, we are here for you. That's what community is all about."
Other businesses plan to make and accept donations as well in the coming days, including Raleigh Beer Garden, Papa Murphy's Take and Bake Pizza, Crossfit in downtown Durham and Honest Abe's Kitchen & Bar.
Van Winkle said his friend was aware of the dangers of police work.
"That was ... something in the back of his mind, but Charlie being Charlie, it was more about he wanted to serve, and that happened to be one of the consequences of it," he said, adding that he's pleased the Hibernian is helping his friend.
"It is a big city but a small community, and today makes you feel like it," he said.
NC teachers donate leave time to officer's wife
Likewise, teachers are rallying around Ainsworth's wife, Jennifer Ainsworth, a teacher at Dilllard Drive Middle School in Raleigh.
Veteran teachers are donating some of their annual leave hours to Jennifer Ainsworth so she can remain out of school and stay with her husband at the hospital. The effort started at Dillard Drive Middle, and word spread to several school districts via social media.
"I can certainly relate to this teacher because I've been married to a law enforcement officer for 19 years," said Melanie Smith, assistant principal at Union Elementary School in Clinton, whose husband is a State Highway Patrol Trooper.
"Every day, as I watch him put on his uniform, [I think], is something going to happen today? especially in recent months, in recent years," said Smith, who donated two days to Jennifer Ainsworth.
"Teaching is a family," she added.
Public school employees are limited to 20 days a year of donated sick time, but that cap doesn't apply to annual leave days. The Wake County Public School System usually limits employees to 130 days of leave per year, but a spokeswoman said the superintendent could give Jennifer Ainsworth an entire year off by using donated days.
"At this point, she would need to be with her husband, and that should be her only priority, not a paycheck," said Mary Carol Todd, a guidance counselor at Sampson Middle School in Clinton.
Todd also donated two days to Jennifer Ainsworth, while veteran teacher Katrina Boykin gave up three of her leave days.
"It was just an awesome way to show our love back to law enforcement," Boykin said. "It is just a blessing to be able to do that to her and her family."
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