Sheriff’s memorial and benevolent society

Sheriff’s memorial and benevolent society

Written by Katherine Kennedy Tuesday, 07 August 2007

Fund-raisers support law enforcement families

After Sept. 11, Roger Wade with the Travis County Sheriff’s Department said it became apparent that the community wanted to give back to public service employees in their time of need. That is why he and others with a background in law enforcement created the Sheriff’s Memorial and Benevolent Society of Travis County in 2002.

In its first months, SMBS raised $6,000. This year, it received close to $50,000 through fund-raising activities and charities.

“People have always wanted to help public service employees, but were unable to do so in the past because of budgeting requirements,” said Wade, who is now president of SMBS. “SMBS fills in the gap so that the community is able to give back. People want to help local law enforcement agencies. We provide a way for them to do that.”

SMBS provides emergency relief for public service employees, who mostly come from the sheriff’s office, and supports programs to help their children with a scholarship fund. It also builds monuments and memorials, supports public safety programs and organizes the award ceremony for the sheriff’s office employees.

“Its main function is to remind people of the ultimate sacrifices of the sheriff’s office employees through memorials,” Wade said. “We get money to people who need it. Our goal is to raise enough money so that the people we help do not have to worry about paying bills during their time of need or crisis.”

SMBS is made up of a board of directors that meets annually. The group organizes two major annual fund-raisers: Haunted Jail, “Alcatravis,” and the Travis County Combined Charities Campaign. Wade said SMBS obtains money for the Curtis Weeks Memorial Scholarship with these fund-raisers and plans to create a new scholarship that would help children and descendents of Travis County employees.

Almost all of the money from fund-raising activities and donations, more than 99 percent, goes directly toward SMBS’ cause, according to Wade. Wade said they can dedicate the majority of funds to direct service because of low administrative costs, a small budget and the lack of an office building.

SMBS also educates the public on what sheriff’s office employees do. Wade said SMBS is a direct result of the generosity of people wanting to help public safety employees.

“We have worked hard to make sure that SMBS is successful and that all of the money we raise goes to the people who need it,” Wade said. “We plan to continue working hard to do better as an organization.”

Last year, SMBS created a calendar of deputies and sheriff’s office employees as a fundraiser.

Every year in October, SMBS hosts a haunted house called Alcatravis in the old Travis County jail. Visitors are “haunted” by the ghosts of past prisoners.

Sheriff’s Memorial and Benevolent Society, 512-854-4986, www.tcsheriff.org/smbs_home.htm