Terry Richards | The Valdosta Daily TimesLowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk receives a wooden flag from Sandra Danowski, Danski's Empire Real Estate owner, as Sonya Brockman and Ruth Joyal, real estate agents, and Nicholas Panousis, Family Pizza owner, look on. 

VALDOSTA — Deputies were honored Monday as a local business doled out appreciation by the slice.

Danski’s Empire Real Estate hosted a free lunch offer for Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies at Family Pizza, across from Moody Air Force Base. All deputies could stop by, show their badge and get a free slice of pizza, a drink and a piece of chocolate cake, said Sandra Danowski, broker and owner of Danski’s Empire.

Deputies would also be invited to put their names in the pot for a $200 gift card drawing, Danowski said.

“We wanted to show our support for local law enforcement,” Danowski said. “I think that people in the community should show more support for law enforcement.”

Danowski was accompanied by two Danski’s Empire agents, Sonya Brockman and Ruth Joyal. All three women have husbands retired from the military, Danowski said.

Family Pizza was chosen as the site for the event because of the restaurant’s longstanding support for the military and law enforcement, she said.

“As real estate agents, we depend on law enforcement,” calling for officers whenever they have to deal with a foreclosure, Danowski said.

As part of the event, Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk was presented with a wooden American flag.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.