On average, more than 200 first responders lose their life in the line of duty every year, which also means over 200 families lose a husband, wife, father, mother, daughter, son, etc. These sudden and devastating losses can put a strain on the fallen’s families, both emotionally and financially. Thankfully organizations such as Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund (S.A.F.E.) were created to help these families overcome financial burdens.
C.O.P.S. is a national organization that provides resources to assist surviving families of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is another organization whose mission is to honor and remember our country’s fallen fire heroes, provide assistance to their survivors, and to work to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries. S.A.F.E. is a local Kansas City-based organization which provides financial support to families of law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency service personnel who have lost their lives.
Digital Ally Inc. has shown dedication in contributing to these causes, most notably with their sponsorship of the PGA Web.com Tour event, the Digital Ally Open. In the more than 25 years of the PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, they have been able to contribute almost $2.5 billion in charitable giving. “It just made sense,” said Stan Ross, CEO of Digital Ally. “With this sponsorship, not only were we able to mold our charitable platform to benefit great organizations, we are able to directly impact our local community.” Since taking over the event in 2015, Digital Ally has been able to donate thousands of dollars to charities that benefit fallen first responders and their families, including two local Kansas City families and countless others around the country.
The tournament, formerly known as the Midwest Classic, is held every summer in Overland Park, Kansas, with this year’s tournament running from July 27-30, 2017 at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate featuring some of the nation’s top golfers. In addition to the golf tournament itself, many other events are held throughout the week to honor our first responders. Guests can enjoy family night with firefighters, paramedics, and police officers who interact with the children and give sneak peaks into their everyday duties. Then a Celebrity Pro-Am and Pairings Party are held with both a silent and live auction where 100% of the proceeds benefit charity. Finally the week comes to a close with a Military and First Responder Appreciation Day, which includes free entry and food for all First Responders and an 18th hole flag dedication presented by a first responder. Digital Ally also hosts a continued education course for law enforcement personnel completely free of charge to participants. Past speakers include Matt Dolan, Michael Tabman and Gary Klugiewicz, who’ve presented on several topics including the impact and importance of body cameras, legislation surrounding video evidence, tips for deescalating confrontations, and much more.
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