By Megan Woodard/Gator Galaxy Staff
On Vicki Bourg’s 40th birthday, she walked into Firemen’s Hall on West O Street to find a surprise awaiting her. As she opened the doors, she was welcomed by numerous students, teachers, co-workers, and friends. After weeks of planning, the Lincoln Police Department (LPD) and LNS teachers had pulled off the ultimate surprise party for Bourg. Students and staff wanted to show Bourg how much they appreciated everything she’d done for them over the years.
Cheerleaders made posters, and volleyball players served food to guests. The party proved to be a success; Bourg had definitely been pleasantly surprised.
Serving as North Star’s Student Resource Officer, Bourg actually solved more school-related crimes than any other SRO in the LPS district. “She received the department’s Life Saving Award, Exceptional Duty Award, and she was selected as the Field Training Officer of the Year,” said police chief Tom Casady in his blog posted Wednesday. She strived for nothing but the best, although she had problems of her own to think about.
Throughout years of battling cancer, she still did her best to come to work as often as she could. She pushed through, proving to everyone she knew that not even cancer could bring her down.
The birthday party wasn’t the only effort North Star students and staff had made over the years to support Bourg. Last year, as a fundraiser for Bourg, black hats were made with Bourg’s LPD number and “Hats Off for Vicki” in pink. “The staff and students at North Star adopted Vicki and helped her through the depth of her disease,” said Casady.
As hard as she may have fought, Vicki Bourg lost her long battle with breast cancer on Monday.
North Star fans had already planned a “Pink Out” for Friday night’s basketball game against Omaha Burke, but now ask students and fans to wear pink or teal in honor of Bourg and all others who have been affected by cancer.
Vicki Bourg’s memorial service will be held in North Star High School’s main gym at 10 a.m. Bourg will be missed by all those who knew her, said Casady. “She lived the dream, and her legacy is the people whose lives she touched— victims, coworkers, new recruits, students, friends, a school, a community, this department.”
