Local law enforcement agencies are banding together to support one of their own.
The Columbus Police Department is teaming up with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, The Columbus Fire Department and Emergency 911 to help raise money for a CPD investigator who is battling cancer.
Veteran officer Kelvin Lee was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer in 2012. He has been on medical leave as he battles the illness. To help support their fellow officer, Sheriff Mike Arledge and CPD Chief Selvain McQueen are lending their financial resources to host fund-raisers for Lee.
T-shirts with the logos of the four departments will be emblazoned with a slogan in honor of Lee and can be purchased for $10 with all of the proceeds going to support Lee and his family. The first group of T-shirts will be ordered this Friday. Officer Rhonda Sanders, who is organizing the fund-raiser, said that in addition to this group of T-shirt sales, the CPD will be hosting a catfish lunch on March 28 where shirts will be printed onsite.
Sanders said Lee is not only an outstanding officer, but a dear friend as well.
“Kelvin is one of the most giving people in the world,” Sanders said. “He has given so much to the city of Columbus. We want to give back to him and his family.”
In addition to the catfish lunch and T-shirt sales, a shooting competition will be held at the Columbus Gun Range on April 20. The event is open to all law enforcement officers, firefighters and military, both active and retired. Sanders said a skate night will also be hosted at Skate Zone in the coming weeks.
For more information regarding fund-raisers or donations to the Lee family, contact Rhonda Sanders at 662-251-7355.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.