|
 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.
[to top of second column] |
If
anyone would like to be one of the “celebrities” please contact Stambaugh at
Arbitrary
productionz@gmail.com. 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@lincolnartsinstitute.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
Arbitraryproductionz@gmail.com
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
Arbitraryproductionz@gmail.com
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] |
