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While many Kosciusko County residents will be spending Labor Day weekend enjoying the waters of local lakes, a group of nine Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department officers will experience water of a different sort - flood water.
When the Indiana Sheriff's Association said help was needed in areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, Sgt. Chris McKeand, Deputies Rick Shepherd, Josh Spangle, Doug Brumfield, Chris Rager, Kevin Gelbaugh, Dalis Owens, Jon Tyler and Cpl. Don McCune volunteered their services.
"When a Sheriff's Association calls for help, it does not matter where we're from, we're going to help them," said Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine. "It says a lot about the character of our officers, they volunteered their time to do this. They are not being paid extra, they are doing it out of the goodness of their hearts."
The group, which leaves Sunday at 9 a.m., is accepting donations for victims of the hurricane. They plan to travel in squad cars and a truck and a trailer with supplies donated by the community. The gasoline for the trip was donated by a local business.
"Several groups out of Indiana are headed to Mississippi to stage, then deploy to other places," said McKeand. "We don't know where (the Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending us) yet. This all came about (Thursday), and we spared (the officers) we could spare. It is a spur-of-the-moment thing."
The officers are accepting bottled water, non-perishable food, batteries, flashlights, baby items such as formula and diapers, cellular telephones and new blankets.
The crew will deliver the items then stay to help with the relief efforts before heading back to Indiana.
Anyone who would like to donate items may call 574-267-5667 for more information.
