Families of Fallen Officers kicks off fundraising drive

The Arkansas Families of Fallen Officers, Inc. is kicking off its 2019 fundraising drive to assist the families of first responders.

The 501 (c) (3) organization’s purpose is to provide support to the families of all first responders who are killed or die in the line of duty in the state of Arkansas, said President Richard Curry of Nashville, Ark.

No law enforcement officers died in Arkansas during 2018. The 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization donated $1,000 to Arkansas State Police Trooper Kyle Sheldon’s recovery (K Troop Hot Springs).

In 2017, Arkansas lost three firefighters and three law enforcement officers in the line of duty.

The goal for 2019 is to raise $50,000, Curry said. An immediate fundraiser is going on now to help with expenses for ASP Trooper Clayton McWilliams who was seriously injured Jan.3 in a car accident while responding to an overturned truck on U.S. Highway 71. McWilliams remains hospitalized in Little Rock.

Curry said there are jars set out in Nashville, Ark., stores to raise money for McWilliams and his family.

“Whatever we raise through the jars, the organization will try to match it, and that money will go directly to him,” Curry said.

The Arkansas Families of Fallen officer has a bank account at Diamond Bank in Nashville.

For more information, contact Curry at 870-557-6813 or at richardcurry50.rc80@gmail.com.

The idea for the organization came about in 2017 when a police officer in Newport, Ark., was killed in the line of duty. Curry had been working in the area and knew several law enforcement officers there.

He approached his Southwest Ark., motorcycle club about doing something for fallen officers and they soon expanded it to all first responders.