Record turnout at Greenville Downtown Airport marks biggest LEAD Day yet

In what marked its highest attendance to date, the 12th annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (LEAD Day) saw nearly 700 officers pass through the Greenville Downtown Airport(opens in new tab) on Friday morning.

Organized by local nonprofit LEAD Upstate, the annual event has evolved into the largest dedicated law enforcement “thank you” in South Carolina. Operating as an efficient morning drive-through, the event allowed first responders to experience a personal outpouring of community support without taking frontline officers off patrol or disrupting critical shift changes.

What the Day Looked Like
The initiative began more than a decade ago when founder Seabrook Marchant started picking up the tab for officers having breakfast at Tommy’s Country Ham House. That informal gesture eventually grew into an organized annual tradition, shifting to an outdoor drive-through at the airport in 2020 to reach even more personnel directly from the road.

On Friday morning, cruisers, patrol SUVs, motorcycle units, and K-9 handlers lined up along the airport tarmac. Volunteers, community leaders, and corporate partners manned the “line of gratitude,” greeting every vehicle in person with handshakes and handing care packages directly through driver-side windows.

Participating officers received:

• Loaded “Valor Bags”: A nice tactical bag (perfect for the range, gym or more) packed with specially curated gifts, practical essentials, and gift cards from local businesses.
• Breakfast on Patrol: Fresh Chick-fil-A biscuits and hot coffee provided on-the-go by local franchise operators (Mauldin, Haywood Road, Laurens Road, and Cherrydale).
  Keepsakes: Commemorative 2026 LEAD Upstate challenge coins and event t-shirts.
• Prize Winner Pick Up: Leading up to Friday, registered officers were entered into major drawings for big-ticket community donations, including home electronics, outdoor grills, family entertainment packages, and weekend getaways.
• Nine Agencies United Across the County

The event brought together officers, deputies, and state agents serving every municipality and corner of Greenville County. The agencies celebrated throughout the morning included:

• Fountain Inn Police Department
• Mauldin Police Department
• Simpsonville Police Department
• Greenville Police Department
• Greer Police Department
• Travelers Rest Police Department
• Greenville County Sheriff’s Office
• South Carolina Highway Patrol
• South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
• Backed by Broad Community and Business Support

Organizers emphasized that LEAD Day’s growth and success are made possible entirely by the regional businesses, civic groups, and residents who sponsor the morning’s logistics, meals, and giveaways.

The 2026 event was backed by presenting sponsor Dr. Kelly Willenberg, alongside a deep roster of corporate, civic, and individual community sponsors:

• Southern Tide
• CPI Security
• Indigo Hope Foundation
• Windsor Aughtry
• Smith Dray Line
• Bon Secours Wellness Arena
• Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU)
• Marchant Real Estate
• Chick-fil-A
• Joey Russo & Liz Seman
• Lance & Erin Leopold
• Canteen North America
• Galls
• Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey, LLC
• Bank of Travelers Rest (Member FDIC)
• Billy & Cleo Crank
• Pepsi of Greenville
• Pelham Medical Center
• Prisma Health
• Carl Hayden Fund
• Southern Connector
• City of Mauldin SC Government
• Priority One Security
• The Turner Agency Inc.
• Greenville Technical College
• Steve White Volkswagen
• Bob Knight
• Fairway Ford
• Attorney Rob Ianuario
• Greenville Heritage Federal Credit Union
• Veterans United Home Loans South Carolina
• Laurens Electric Cooperative, Inc.
• Fraternal Order of Police, Greenville Lodge 17
• ScanSource
• Fayssoux Landis & Gibbon
• Caldwell Constructors
• Truliant Federal Credit Union
• Dobbins Termite & Pest Control

With nearly 700 officers passing through the line of gratitude, organizers noted that the milestone turnout demonstrated that public appreciation for frontline first responders remains strong throughout the Upstate—not just for a single morning, but 365 days of the year.