Police Appreciation Day in Lincoln: Community invited to an evening of food, fun and games, art and talent shows

 

[June 26, 2021] 

The community is invited to attend an evening of food, fun, and games on Saturday, July 10 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the south pavilion of the Logan County Fair Grounds in Lincoln. Though known by all as the beer tent, the Logan County Police Appreciation Day at the pavilion will be an alcohol-free family friendly event with activities for all age groups.

The event is being coordinated by Logan County resident Tyler Stambaugh with co-sponsors Lincoln Daily News and ME Realty. Others contributing to the event include All About Fun inflatables, Lincoln Arts Institute, and Small Town Creations. The list of those helping with this event is still growing and additional attractions are sure to be announced between now and the day of the event.

Stambaugh is a young man with Logan county roots. He’s the son of Wayne and Christy Stambaugh of Lincoln and the grandson of Robert Rohlfs of Beason.

Stambaugh said that he and his grandad enjoy visiting and often get into some pretty deep discussions. One day not long ago, the two were engaged in such a conversation, talking about the state of the world and some of the disturbing things they were seeing going on in our own country. They began talking about the attitude toward police officers and how they were bothered by the stereotyping that all police are bad just because of the actions of a few.

Both knew that often times the bad events are sensationalized, while the good that law enforcement does goes un-noticed. They decided that it was time to do something about all this. The two threw out a number of ideas of what they, being just a couple of people, could do to honor law enforcement in general and local officers specifically.

Stambaugh said several ideas came to the two but were discarded. Then they came up with the notion of putting together a police appreciation event. They decided that even if the event was small, it was an attainable goal.

Stambaugh noted, “We wanted to bring the community together with our local police and humanize the police.” He said that it is instilled upon people to fear law enforcement, but these officers are people too, with family and friends, and personal relationships in the community. Bringing the community and officers together will help civilians see that the officers that serve our community are good people.

Stambaugh said that holding the event would serve to improve relationships between law enforcement and community residents locally, but he also wanted to do something meaningful for those who have given all in the line of duty.

He began researching how he could help on a wider scale and chose the First Responder Children’s Foundation.

The First Responder’s Children Fund originates from a breakfast hosted on Thanksgiving Day 2001 for the families of those who died in the tragic 9-11 attack on New York City just a few weeks earlier. In 2002 the foundation was formed to provide financial assistance to survivor children of fire fighters, law enforcement, and other first responders around the country through college scholarships.

FRCF founder Alfred R. Kahn is quoted on the foundation website saying: "I believe there is no more important mission than helping the children of our nation’s first responders and educating all children through the programs offered by these heroic organizations. This is a long-term commitment, a promise to the people who defend and protect us, and a major investment in the future of this nation. It is our responsibility as a society to ensure that these children achieve their full potential as active citizens and thriving members of the community. We’re grateful for your support in putting the children of our first responders first."

The website also offers the following statistics: “Approximately 225 first responders are killed in the line of duty each year, and each fatality leaves behind an average of 2.3 children. This year’s 517 children will need help with their college tuition, and another 500+ children are put into the same situation every year. Fortunately, First Responders Children’s Foundation has been striving to meet this heartbreaking need for the past 19 years. Ever since September 11, 2001 when more than 800 children lost a parent, First Responders Children’s Foundation has provided millions of dollars in scholarships to hundreds of children who have lost a parent in the line of duty, which helps cushion the financial hardship these children face.”

Stambaugh said that he chose the foundation because of what it offers for survivor children. He felt that by doing a fundraiser for the FRCF, this community would be making a difference in the lives of many young people across the country.

Stambaugh set about planning the event, including activities that would be fun for families, opportunities for local police to interact in a casual setting with members of the community, and opportunities to fundraise for the foundation.

He added to the mix an opportunity for local small businesses and home based businesses to get involved and promote themselves in the community. Stambaugh said especially now that we are coming off of a year of pandemic, small businesses need all the support they can get too. Giving those businesses an opportunity to show their products and services to the community has to be good for everyone.

July 10th is still a couple of weeks away and more is being added daily to this event.

To date, Stambaugh has commitments from Nuthatch Hill BBQ and Snowie snow cones as food vendors. Food will be offered for sale to the public with all police officers receiving free items from these vendors.

All About Fun inflatables has donated the use of a large slide for kids and a dunk tank for adults. The Lincoln Rural Fire Department will provide the water for an ever popular dunk tank, celebrity dunkees to be announced.

So far, former LCHS teacher and co-owner of the Lincoln Arts Institute, Jason Hoffman has volunteered to get dunked and others have been contacted and asked to participate as well. If anyone would like to be one of the “celebrities” please contact Stambaugh at [e-mail].  Dunking sessions will last 20 to 30 minutes. Any adult who decides the night of the event to take a turn in the tank will be welcome to do so.

The city of Lincoln and Third Friday Committee will provide the giant games everyone enjoys at the Third Friday events in Lincoln.

There will be an art show/contest open to children and adults. Jason Hoffman and Marcia Cook, owners of the Lincoln Arts Institute are coordinating the art contest with three categories. Art will be judged by age groups, three to seven-year-olds, eight to 12-year-olds, and ages 13 to adult.

Trophies for first, second, and third place in each category are being donated by Kathie Williams at Small Town Creations in Lincoln.

Cook and Hoffman will be working with members of the Logan County Arts to help get entries for the adult category and also donations of art that will be offered for sale.

Hoffman will also have an impromptu art table set up for kids. Paper, crayons and colored pencils will be provided and kids can create art to keep or enter in the art contest.

To pre-register art, contact Jason Hoffman at 309-287-3744 or jhoffman@lincolnarts
institute.com.

All the art on display will be offered for sale with proceeds going to the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

Mandy Cordray, CAC Rocks will be on hand to offer rock painting.

There will be a talent show and open mic event staring at 6 p.m. with members of the Lincoln Police Department judging the talent.

Trophies donated by Small Town Creations will be given to the first, second, and third place choices.

Open Mic will be impromptu performances by anyone in attendance and will not be part of the talent contest.

Local small businesses and home based businesses are invited to set up a table or booth at the event.

To register for the talent show or save a spot in the vendor market contact Tyler at [e-mail] 

Patti Becker with the United Way will be on hand to offer books to local children and share information about the 2-1-1 system that provides information and referrals to community services offered in Logan County.

Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District will be on hand with a fire truck. Logan County Sheriff’s Office will provide a vehicle and perhaps a visit from a very special officer. Other local first responder departments are also invited and encouraged to provide vehicles.

If interested please contact Stambaugh at [e-mail]

There will be a 50/50-plus raffle. Visitors may buy a chance to win 50 percent of all the cash collected at the raffle. After that drawing, there will be a second drawing for an amazing gift basket donated by CEFCU. Unsold art at the end of the night may also be given away via additional drawings.

The event is ballooning and growing larger every day, with more people getting involved, much to the delight of Stambaugh.

He also noted that the cooperation he’s receiving from people around the community is inspiring. It begins with Mike Maske at the Logan County Fairground. Stambaugh said that Maske was delighted to be able to help with the event, and offered some good advice in addition to the use of the pavilion area. Staff members at Lincoln Daily News were also helpful and excited about helping with the event, and Cook and Hoffman at the Lincoln Art Institute were also a welcome addition to his committee, with lots of good advice and a willingness to get involved.

Fundraising for the foundation is also well underway with more than $700 raised already thanks to donations from ME Realty, the Rusty Rail in Lincoln and Graue Chevrolet

Also, volunteers are needed to help around the event, just to make sure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. If you would like to fill that need, please reach out to Stambaugh at the email address provided at other locations in this article.

All that is left now is for the community to come out and enjoy the evening and get to know our local law enforcement a little better.

Police Appreciation Day will be at the south pavilion of the Logan County Fairgrounds in Lincoln on Saturday, July 10th from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Admission is free with plenty of opportunities for families to come together and have a great time together without a lot of cost.

We hope to see you all there.

[Nila Smith]