COHUTTA, Ga. — Cohutta Police Chief Ray Grossman suffered a stroke Wednesday after recently undergoing heart surgery and the community is rallying around him and his family.

A gofundme fundraising page (www.gofundme.com/ray-gross man-assistance) to assist Grossman and his family was started by Cohutta resident Jeffrey Brock, who wrote on the page, “Ray Needs Us NOW.”

Cohutta Mayor Ron Shinnick said in the small town in the northern part of Whitfield County, Grossman is more than just a man with a badge in a patrol car.

“He means a lot to us,” Shinnick said. “He has been police chief almost 15 years, and being a policeman and a chief in a small town, you get called to serve in a lot of capacities. You end up in some unusual situations. It isn’t always about law enforcement. Sometimes, goats are wandering down the street or a dog has gone missing, and he does a little bit of everything. He checks on houses, checks on street lights, helps out with the garbage. Police in a small town take on a different role than you might think. You have to wear a lot of hats.”

The webpage has a fundraising goal of $50,000 and as of Friday afternoon, more than $1,000 had been donated. All of the money raised through the page will go directly to Grossman and his family, according to the page.

“When there is an issue in Cohutta, we call Ray …,” Brock wrote. “Ray Needs Us NOW. … Cohutta is a small community and the salary of any law enforcement officer, including Ray’s salary, is always never enough sometimes. But Ray and every other officer does this because it is what they are called to do.”

Shinnick said Grossman and his family are expecting a lengthy recovery. 

“I’ve been up there, and it was a difficult surgery,” Shinnick said. “I am sure he will do fine, and he has a lot of support in the community.” 

Officer Josh Key is serving as acting police chief, according to Shinnick, who said other law enforcement agencies have increased their presence in the area. 

“Josh is handling most things, and we’ve gotten help from Varnell and the sheriff’s office,” Shinnick said. “We really appreciate everyone helping out as much as they have.”