Officer of the Year Finalists Announced for Law and Order Ball

Rotary Club of Fort Myers South is pleased to announce the five finalists for Officer of the Year have been chosen and they, along with all the outstanding nominees from seven local law enforcement agencies, will be honored at the Law and Order Ball at 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 17 at Germain Arena in Estero. Tickets are now on sale for this gala event, which recognizes local law enforcement and celebrates their dedication and commitment to our community.
 
In a blind judging process, judges from the Rotary Club of Fort Myers South and other community leaders selected the following finalists from nominees selected by their respective departments: Sergeant John Kulko, Cape Coral Police Department; Officer Cassie McHale, Fort Myers Police Department; Detective Michael Cahill, Lee County Sheriff’s Office; Deputy Sheriff First Class Jarrod Cantrell, Lee County Sheriff’s Office; and Sergeant James Matthew Chitwood, Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
 
One special hero will be awarded and receive a custom designed piece by Rotarian Mark Loren of Mark Loren Designs.
 
Nominations for “Officer of the Year” were provided by the following agencies based on exceptional achievement, either on-duty or off-duty; nominees consistently go “above and beyond” the call of duty, serve as a role model to others and undertake actions beyond their expected job responsibilities: Cape Coral Police Department, Florida SouthWestern State College Police Department, Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department, Fort Myers Police Department, Lee County Port Authority Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Sanibel Police Department.
 
Creighton Construction & Development graciously returns as the Title Sponsor for the Law and Order Ball. This gala event includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a sumptuous dinner, a silent and live auction, entertainment and some very special surprises. All proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Fort Myers South Foundation and Lee County law enforcement youth programs.
 
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South is also grateful to these generous sponsors: LeeSar; Survival Armor; NBC-2; The News-Press Media Group; Edison National Bank; Enterprise Holdings; Armor Correctional Health; the Galloway Family of Dealerships; Tech-Tronics; CONRIC PR & Marketing; The Eventful Company; Mark Loren Designs; Rapid Print; Siesta Pebble; Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, PA; Eye Centers of Florida; Wilbur Smith Law Firm; Gulf Coast Coin and Jewelry; Gendron Funeral and Cremation Services Inc.; Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner; CFS Roofing; Home-Tech; Red Roof Inns; Aubuchon Team of Companies; Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits; Fort Myers Police Department; Lee County Sheriff’s Office; HBKS Wealth Advisors; Old Sparky; UAStar Photo Booth; Florida Gulf Coast University; and Maureen Grabowski.
 
Tickets are now on sale for the event. Returning this year is the Fund-A-Cop program, an opportunity to help a member of Lee County Law Enforcement to attend by underwriting the cost of a ticket for him or her. Tickets are $150 per person and $1,200 for a table of eight. To purchase tickets for your party or for officers through the Fund-A-Cop opportunity, visit www.lawandorderball.org.
 
The new addition of Fund-A-Need to this year’s event will provide funds for law enforcement to purchase tactical medical response kits, which contain supplies that allow law enforcement personnel to stabilize victims in a traumatic event, from a shooting to a car crash.  The kits offer the best chance to give life-saving treatment in the most crucial time.  This initiative coincides with FEMA’s nationwide “Stop the Bleed” initiative, which allows first responders to take simple steps to keep injured people alive as they await medical care.
 
For information about in-kind donations and the many different sponsorship opportunities that are still available, visit www.lawandorderball.org or contact Lori Cook North at lori@eventfulinc.com.
 
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South
Rotary Club of Fort Myers South has more than 130 members who are among the 1.3 million Rotarians worldwide. Service Above Self is the motto of Rotary International, which has contributed more than $1.2 billion and tens of thousands of volunteer hours toward polio eradication in addition to projects such as water quality, world peace and literacy. Meetings are held each Monday at 12:00 PM at the Crowne Plaza, 13051 Bell Tower Drive. For more information, visit www.rotarysouth.org.