One might think that Father's Day is just another celebration, but for a day usually overshadowed by Mother's Day, one father stands out.

Steve Fowler, a Covington resident for more than 30 years, moved here from Atlanta in 1974.

Working as an officer for the Covington Police Department since 1979, Fowler inched his way up the ladder to detective in 1998. With a combined 30 years of work experience, the hard-nosed detective has found a calling outside of the task force.

Fowler and his wife, Cindy, have developed a passion for helping foster children find a better life, hoping to help them excel in the future.

Since 2003, the Fowlers have worked with the Division of Family and Children Services, which helps take kids out of unstable living quarters. Having children move into their house for as little as a week and up to several years, the Fowlers have had a total of 18 entered their doors.

"We welcome them all, and try to treat them as if they were our very own," Fowler said.

Currently, Fowler has his biological son Trevor, 14, his adopted son Bryan, 11, and two girls, Samantha, 10, and Sandra, 8, living with him.

"They are a handful sometimes," Fowler said. "I have to get them ready in the morning, prepare breakfast and take them to school, all before I go start my day."

After a long days work at the office, Fowler's other job starts as he has to pick the kids up from day care and prepare for afternoon activities.

"I have to take one to dance, one to horseback riding lessons and they all play softball for the Covington Christian League," Fowler said. "I feel like we live in the road, but we like to keep them involved so they have the same opportunities as every other kid."

Staying on the road may be an understatement as the family enjoys spending time together on family camping trips.

"My favorite is to go to Myrtle Beach each year with the family," Fowler said. "The kids really enjoy the water and always have a good time. A few years ago we were fortunate enough to take them to Disney World."

Being fortunate to many is being considered rich, but to Fowler their fortune has come under different circumstances.

When the Fowler family took in their first child in 2003, they lived in a small three-bedroom house. Shortly after taking in the first, another young girl came to live with them forcing the two girls to crowd in a room with their daughter Stephanie.

With life in the house becoming hectic and space and privacy becoming scarce, the Fowlers were able to buy a six bedroom house on the outskirts of Oxford.

Now able to give each child a separate bedroom, the family seems to be getting along better then ever.

"We try to stay as close as possible" Fowler said. "We like to spend time at the pool and go on walks around the neighborhood."

With all the time wrapped up in the kids, Fowler gets to spend little time doing what he wants.

"I would love to go join my daughter and play on an indoor soccer team," Fowler said. But with little time and so much to do, Fowler can't seem to pencil it in his schedule.

After their fifth year of working with D.F.C.S., the Fowler's have adopted one child and are in the process of adopting the two girls. Feeling a need to help out in anyway possible the family hopes to help the children either find their biological families or grow up and pursue their college educations.

"So far we have had two finish up college, while almost all of the other one's have been re-united with their families," Fowler said. "But whether they stay with us a day or a month, we hope they go home to something good. I hope that they learned something about family and can take it with them."