The community members who help make the annual Badge of Honor Benefit Run possible were recognized Wednesday by organizers.
The benefit provides support to three groups which assist first responders who have dedicated their lives to serving residents, supporters say.
The April 14, 2018, race will mark the largest amount raised to date by the organization.
This is because of the assistance of ultimate sponsors Harry Blackwell Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, First Midwest Bank and Hefner Furniture and Appliance, as well as other sponsors, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Jeff Vitale. Vitale serves as race director.
"My goal has always been to increase from what we did the previous year, and we've done that this year," Vitale said. "Right now, we're projected to raise anywhere from $25,000 to $30,000 in sponsorships."
The event raised about $16,000 last year, and less than $6,000 the first year.
Money from the race is divided between three charitable organizations, the Missouri Association State Troopers Emergency Relief Society, BackStoppers and the local chapter of the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police.
MASTERS assists the families of MSHP troopers who have given their lives in the line of duty, while BackStoppers does the same for the families of law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The local FOP chapter organizes community events such as the annual Shop with a Hero program at Christmas.
"I am excited about the turnout, about the sponsorships and just the entire community involvement," said Vitale. "I have to rely on everybody, our committee members and of course our sponsors. Without them, it wouldn't be possible."
The Blackwell family is a longtime supporter of law enforcement, said Rob Blackwell, explaining that his brother, Harry Blackwell took an interest in the benefit run.
Blackwell Dodge has been an ultimate sponsor since the second year of the race.
"We've always tried to support (law enforcement)," said Blackwell, who hopes others will be motivated to support the race as well.
First Midwest Bank and Hefner Furniture and Appliance are ultimate sponsors for the first time this year.
"I have a deep respect for our law enforcement," said Slug Hefner. "I believe they've got an impossible job and they do it very well."
This event supports good causes like BackStoppers and MASTERS, said Brock Littles of First Midwest Bank.
It also benefits the community by offering a local half marathon to runners and drawing in visitors to the Poplar Bluff area, said Littles.
The race will start and end at Three Rivers College, which has hosted it for two years.
"Three Rivers wants to be involved in this because the police department and those auxiliary divisions are vital to our community," said Three Rivers College Board of Trustees President Eric Schalk. "Three Rivers needs to be a major player in our community and partnering with people such as the Badge of Honor run is essential to us."
Another goal of the benefit is to raise enough money from this region to get the BackStoppers organization to cover emergency responders from this section of the state.
The BackStoppers program reaches as far as Cape Girardeau currently, Vitale said.
The group's coverage areas are dictated by community support, he said.
Davine Conover of Ozark Federal Credit Union is another longtime supporter of the event, serving as secretary and assisting with registration.
Conover has seen first hand what the support of the organizations helped by the Badge of Honor Benefit Run can mean to families.
MASTERS offered critical support to the family of Sgt. David May, she said. May was killed in a helicopter crash in 1999 in Poplar Bluff.
More than 150 runners participate in this event each year.
Vitale has worked hard to make this event successful, according to Don Schrieber, publisher of the Daily American Republic, which also supports the run.
The vast majority of people appreciate what law enforcement and emergency responders do, according to Schrieber.
"I think that's much appreciated by the captain and all the organizations that he's representing, for all those officers out there to know that this community is behind them," he told the group, which gathered at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center. "Thank everyone for your contributions and thank you to the captain."
Registration must be completed by March 1 for those runners who wish to receive a T-shirt and a finisher's medal. The cost to register is also less in advance. Registration will continue through the morning of the race.
Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each race category for female and male participants. Medals will be awarded to the top three among age group categories.
For more information on how to register or become a sponsor, visit www.bohbr.com.