100 Club conference in Glendale showcases programs that help first responders and their families

GLENDALE, Ariz. - This week, officials with the 100 Club of Arizona are hosting a conference in Glendale.

The conference is held in support of first responders and families, especially those families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. That includes a woman who lost her husband, and is now helping others struggling with loss.

"I don't think people often see the ripple effect of that loss," said Angela Harrolle.

Harrolle, who is the President and CEO of the 100 Club, lost her husband, DPS Officer Bruce Harrolle, in a helicopter accident 15 years ago. The pain is still very real for Harrolle and her kids, who were young when their father died.

"They'll never know that parent," said Harrolle. "They will always have that absence, and they are learning through others, hearing through stories, and as a spouse of a widow or widower left behind, you're doing it alone."

For Harrolle, the 100 Club helped her through those trying times.

"The 100 Club showed up at my door the next day," Harrolle recounted. "It was one of the biggest saving graces of my life."

During the conference, the 100 Club is teaching more about their services. In addition to supporting families who've lost loved ones in the line of duty, they also help those actively serving who've experienced trauma.

"Some of the things these first responders see and encounter, they keep that with themselves," said Harrolle. "Sometimes, they just want to talk about it. Let their guard down."

Free programs like animal therapy, nutrition courses, and yoga offered to help those first responders.

"We want to make sure they have all the resiliency skills and resources they need to be the best possible first responder," said Harrolle.