Law enforcement donates essentials to needy military families in area

By Michael Pommier

The Fort Scott Tribune

The Christmas season will be a little brighter for a few nearby military families as proceeds from a local law enforcement fundraiser were donated to the Kansas Army National Guard.

The Bourbon and Cherokee County sheriff's offices each donated $1,000 to the Kansas Army National Guard Tuesday in a ceremony held at the Kansas Army National Guard Armory in Iola. The money came from proceeds of the Third Annual Badge Bash for Christmas Cash, held Sept. 18 in Uniontown.

Southeast Regional Correctional Center Director of Security Jimmy Nichols, who organized the fundraiser, said the goal from the beginning this year was to use the money to help local military families during Christmas.

After speaking with Mary Nesbit, representative of the Kansas Army National Guard, Nichols said it was a good decision.

"(Nesbit) told me that there was a pretty big need for a lot of our young men and women's families needing help," Nichols said. "Our thanks go out to the young men and women ... That's just a small token for what these people sacrifice on a daily basis to keep us all free."

Nichols said the two agencies donated the maximum amount possible. He said the Kansas Army National Guard had set a limit of $1,000 for donations.

The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office had decided to make the donation to the Kansas Army National Guard, which caught the eye of Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

"(Groves) was pretty excited about what we were doing with our money, and they came on board," Nichols said.

The fundraiser was not as profitable as Nichols was hoping. He believes it was mainly due to having to pay the cost of having the Half Pint Brawlers perform.

According to Nichols, the event brought in about $7,000, however, the cost of the entertainment took up a majority of that amount. He added the economy would have had a significant impact on the event if they had not hired the entertainment.

"They were expensive to get ... but at the same time if we wouldn't have had them this year, I don't think with the way that the economy is ... I don't think we would have sold as many tickets as we did," Nichols said.

Nichols said that with the money remaining after the donation, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office is planning to buy coats for area children.