Please join us in congratulating Anella “Joy” Nyack on being named the Cape Coral Police Department’s 2021 Employee of the Year.

Joy’s nomination letter from Community Services Bureau Lieutenant Jon Kulko:

The Cape Coral Police Department is blessed to have such an amazing Community Outreach Coordinator, Mrs. Anella “Joy” Nyack. She has embraced the position and has developed it into one of the most important positions promoting police-community relations.

2021, with over 116 events, saw Joy “think outside the box” in her efforts to serve the community amid a national health crisis. This was evident in the shift for “Do The Right Thing” ceremonies from City Hall to the DTRT winner’s school. The presentations (41 total) brought a sense of increased importance to the students, school staff and School Resource officers. This also allowed the school staff and faculty to tailor the presentation to best honor the student for their achievement (i.e. school news, classroom, outside with class, in front of the school). Joy also worked with volunteers to ensure that 157 needy school children were able to receive their back-to-school supplies. Instead of the children shopping in a crowded store with a risk of exposure, the volunteers led by Joy shopped for the school supplies and delivered them to the kids.

During the Holiday Heroes Food Drive, Joy made arrangements with two of the Walmart Neighborhood Markets for the officers to be outside in areas that provided the best exposure to the customers and provided the best protection from health concerns. There were also arrangements made with the Harry Chapin Food Bank to be on site to collect the food as it was donated. The food drive resulted in a record year with 2,673 pounds of food donated and $2,189 in cash received. 2021 also saw the return of Water Safety Day, the 14th annual Youth Academy (two classes) and Junior Leadership Academy. All were executed to perfection through the planning and organization of Joy Nyack.

The year ended with three of the Cape Coral Police Department’s signature events, the first being the 15th annual Fill the Boat campaign. One hundred thirteen families (330 children) in need received toys and gifts for Christmas. The second event was the Children’s Network Toy Drive to help foster children. The generosity of Cape Coral residents resulted in four truckloads of toys distributed to over 2,000 children.

The final event was the 19th annual Shop With a Cop, which was a huge success. Mrs. Nyack’s outside-the-box thinking allowed 40 children the opportunity to participate, with a large portion of the event held outside due to ongoing health concerns. She coordinated with Panera Bread to provide lunch for the shoppers and had volunteers to pass out wrapping paper for the shoppers’ gifts. Mrs. Nyack also worked with the Rotary Club South Sunset to coordinate the donation of Christmas turkey dinners for the families of all the shoppers.

These events would not have been such a success without Mrs. Nyack’s planning, preparation, motivation and strong desire to serve the community. The outreach she provides to the community reaches countless people and brings great credit to herself, her family, the Community Services Bureau, and the Cape Coral Police Department. She is well deserving of this recognition of the 2021 Cape Coral Police Department’s Employee of the Year.

Today Joy received her award from Chief Tony Sizemore, joined by Deputy Chief Mike Catania and Deputy Chief Darren McKenna.