Families took advantage of Saturday's sunny weather to attend the Bell County Sheriff's Department's annual fundraiser for its Memorial Foundation.
Sheriff Eddy Lange created the foundation in January 2013 to honor all of the fallen officers in Bell County who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Memorial Foundation fundraiser took place at the Dodge Country Dealership in Killeen, where families came out and enjoyed food, fun and even pony rides -- all for a small donation.
Sgt. Bob Reinhard said a small donation for a good cause goes a long way.
“Every agency has the ability to be in a place where they can recognize and pay tribute to those that sacrifice everything from their families to come out and protect you and I on a daily basis. And for them to then lose their life doing that ... this is something very small for us to pay them back with,” Reinhard said.
The fundraiser also provides yearly scholarships to children of active-duty and fallen officers, in addition to helping out families of fallen officers immediately following their loss. It also supports those officers who might experience financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances like illness or injury.
The Bell County Sheriff’s Department continues to recognize fallen officers by building a memorial wall on the grounds of the Bell County Court Complex in Belton. That memorial wall will list the names of each of the men and women who have lost their lives while serving their community.
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