Dunked for a good cause

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Hollister Police Chief Bert Stirewalt, and Branson Alderman Alex Williams prepare to be dunked (Photos courtesy of Rose Backlin)

During the Harvest Moon Festival in Forsyth, visitors were asked to pay to dunk some area leaders into a dunk tank to raise money for the Taney County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy Alumni Association. 

The “dunkees” were Forsyth Alderman Shawn Mathenia, Taney County Eastern Commissioner Shane Keys, Branson Alderman and owner of Getting Floor’d Alex Williams, Forsyth School Superintendent Grant Boyer, Alex Powell from Branson Bank, Randy Schreur from Community Presbyterian Church, Hollister Police Chief Bert Stirewalt, Taney County Sheriff Sergeant Wilson and Taney County Sheriff Deputy Barker. Guests could pay $5 to throw six balls in an attempt to dunk them. 

The money raised from the dunk tank benefits the Alumni Association’s mission. 

“Most of the money will be used for our annual Christmas party for the Taney County Sheriff’s Office employees,” stated alumni association founding member and past president Rose Backlin. “We host a party every year for the employees that serve and protect our community. We provide dinner for them and their spouses/partners. It is just a small way for us to give back.”

Besides the annual Christmas party, the alumni association also provides water, food and such in the event of a long incident which leaves deputies out in the field for an extended period of time, such as a stand-off or search and rescue incident. “When the Taney County Sheriff's Office has to be on scene for a long time, we bring them water, snacks, meals or whatever else they may need to help them carry on with their work without delay,” Backlin told the Branson Globe. “We are here to support law enforcement in any way we can to help those who spend their time helping and serving our community.”

The Taney County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy Alumni Association is open to graduates of the Taney County Sheriff’s Citizens Academy. The academy is a 12-week program held each year designed into mini classes to give enrollees a behind the scene look at the workings of the sheriff’s office and law enforcement procedures. The academy is open to residents of Taney County who are 21 years or older, pass a background check with no criminal record, have a valid driver’s license, have no warrants and are committed to attend all 12 classes. Applications usually open up in January of each year and 16 applicants will be chosen to attend each year.