BILLBOARD

unfortunately a lost art,” Elkins said. “The respect that we ought to have both for our police men and women and our military, they defend us with their lives and, at the same time, so many people are just spewing hate. So, our effort is to very simply say, ‘we love you, we need you, and we appreciate you.’”

Elkins sought out Back the Badge Yuba-sutter – a nonprofit organization created to support local law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty, as well as their families – to partner up on the billboard project.

Stacy Runyen, president of the organization, said Elkins came to one of the group’s board meetings to propose the idea and members were all on board to help see Elkin’s idea come to fruition.

“We always support law enforcement, and that hasn’t changed with the current climate, but we love that community members have also seen the shift in the political climate that affects law enforcement,” Runyen said. “We love that the idea (for the billboard) is coming from a community member.”

Within the first six days of sharing his idea, Elkins had found 12 different businesses or families willing to donate $500 each to cover the costs

of having the billboard up for a minimum of six months – all of which will have their name reflected at the bottom of the sign. He eventually had to cap it at 16 groups in order to fit everyone on the same billboard, which will also allow for the message to run longer than half a year.

“The support has been amazing,” Elkins said.

“The billboard will have a simple message across the top saying something like ‘Yuba-sutter law enforcement: we appreciate you and thank you.’ So, it will be a little bit of light in the darkness.”

The current plan is to erect the message on a billboard in Yuba City located at the base of the new Fifth Street Bridge – final details are still being worked out. If that location is made official, the

billboard honoring local law enforcement will be amongst banners put up by the city honoring military personnel from the YubaSutter area through the Hometown Hero program.

The billboard is expected to go up on Oct. 1, Elkins said.

“In an emergency, when 9-1-1 gets a call, it doesn’t matter what the person’s political affiliation is, law enforcement responds. I don’t care what side of the line you are on, these are men and women that would literally take a bullet for us,” Elkins said. “If anything, I want local law enforcement to know that my family is 100 percent behind them; we love you and thank you for the work you do for our community.”