Russell Gordon, Commander with the Lincoln County Search & Rescue, called into the Weekday Wake-Up on Wednesday, April 9 to discuss being a volunteer member of the S&R and the ongoing Kentucky Derby VIP raffle. Proceeds from the raffle benefit both the Star Valley and Lincoln County Search & Rescue units. Tickets are $20/each and can be purchased at FishingDogFoundation.org. The drawing will take place live on The Spur during the Weekday Wake-Up on Friday, April 17.

(0:00) Morning Morning. It’s the weekday wake up with Duke, Dell and Dan on the SVI Radio Network. (0:07) Rolling right along into another guest interview this morning as we hit 8.50 live on Swift 98 (0:13) and The Spur and talking more about that Fishing Dog Foundation Kentucky Derby Raffle, a VIP (0:19) experience at this year’s Kentucky Derby.

All the proceeds benefit the Lincoln County and Starbody (0:25) Search and Rescues, helping them purchase new pickup trucks that are going to be stocked full (0:30) of equipment to help them serve the local community and all that they do. And I’m actually speaking (0:34) now with commander of the Lincoln County Search and Rescue Russell Gordon today. Russell, good (0:38) morning.

How are you doing? Morning, I’m doing good. I appreciate your time today. Appreciate (0:44) your time.

Let’s talk search and rescue specifically in southern Lincoln County. (0:47) How long have you been involved with the Lincoln County Search and Rescue? (0:51) I’ve been on search and rescue for 20 years. (0:55) So obviously, it’s been great.

Yeah, I was gonna say obviously to be on on for that long. It’s a (1:01) passion for you. What is it about being a member of the search and rescue unit that’s kept you (1:05) part of it for 20 years? So I’ve just been following in my father’s footsteps, I guess (1:13) he’s been on there for about 36 years or so.

And just grew up that way. And they just (1:20) enjoyed the camaraderie that they had. That’s down there when we’re doing it.

(1:25) That’s fantastic. And you know, Russell, when you when we talk about what the search and rescue does (1:30) across the whole county, but also in southern Lincoln County, it’s all a volunteer group, (1:36) right. And so maybe touch on that, if you will, what it’s like to be part of a volunteer organization (1:41) working shoulder to shoulder with with people who also want to just be part of it and help the (1:45) community where they can.

It’s really great. The way our camaraderie between men and women that (1:53) are on the unit. And it’s, it’s just great the way we watch each other’s backs.

And we want to (2:03) go out there and help people out. It’s, it’s just a great thing. (2:08) Speaking with Russell Gordon this morning, Commander of the Lincoln County Search and Rescue, (2:12) Russell, you mentioned how you got involved because your dad was involved.

And we see that (2:18) trend a lot within the search and rescue units around Lincoln County. But at some point, (2:22) somebody has got to be the first one in the family to do it, maybe start that tradition. (2:26) And so what would you say to somebody who’s maybe not familiar with the search and rescue and what (2:32) the search and rescue does? Why should someone who’s listening to this hop in and get involved (2:36) with you guys? It’s just a great, if you’re missing out on some camaraderie of having, (2:45) it’s basically like a second family to most of us that are there.

Probably all of us. (2:52) I mean, it’s, it’s great to get involved with everything. Of course, we can’t have the unit (3:00) that we have without the citizens that are around us.

And it’s, it’s just something that (3:08) I think a lot of people would need to get involved with. It’s just really fun. (3:19) Yeah, absolutely.

Well, let’s talk more about this fundraiser. Fishing Dog Foundation putting this on (3:24) a VIP experience to the Kentucky Derby this year. Winner and a guest will get (3:30) four days, all expense paid meals, hotel accommodations, prime seating at the Kentucky (3:38) Derby.

It really is a complete VIP experience. All the proceeds are going to help buy new pickup (3:44) trucks for the search and rescue units in Star Valley and Kemmer. When you talk about the Kemmer (3:48) unit, specifically the Lincoln County Search and Rescue, tell us what this truck would mean to you (3:53) guys and how you could use it to better help the community.

So this would help us get all our (4:01) equipment that we need for a mission up to the area where we need to go. We have a lot of older (4:10) equipment that, I mean, we got four snow cats there. I mean, they’re really heavy, trying to (4:17) pull that stuff to where we need to get.

We just need to update a little bit. And this new truck (4:26) here would greatly benefit this community and even Star Valley. Everything.

I mean, we have to (4:36) work together sometimes. So if we got to drive up to Star Valley or they got to come down to us, it’s (4:43) something that both of us need. Absolutely.

So raffle tickets are just $20 each. We’ll do the (4:49) drawing a week from this Friday during the weekday wake up here on the SVI radio on the 17th of April. (4:55) So running out of time to get those raffle tickets, just 20 bucks each.

And it’s all expense (5:00) paid. Includes the hotel accommodations, the food, the airfare, tickets, everything. And you can help (5:05) support your local search and rescue.

You can purchase your tickets at fishingdogfoundation.org. (5:10) That’s fishingdogfoundation.org. And again, just 20 bucks each. And you really help support the (5:16) search and rescues across Lincoln County. Again, speaking with Russell Gordon, commander of the (5:20) Lincoln County Search and Rescue.

Russell, thank you for what you do with the search and rescue. (5:25) And everyone that’s involved with you, appreciate your time today. Anything we missed that you’d (5:29) like to bring up today in regards to this fundraiser or search and rescue in general? (5:34) I just want to bring up that without the citizen support, even across the whole country, (5:40) we can’t do this service.

It’s just something that no matter where you are, (5:47) where you’re from, this can help you out. You never know when it’s going to happen to you. (5:54) So please support us and be safe out there.

Absolutely well said. Russell Gordon, (6:02) commander of the Lincoln County Search and Rescue Unit in southern Lincoln County. And again, (6:05) this Fishing Dog Foundation raffle for a VIP all expense paid experience at the Kentucky Derby.

(6:12) You can go to fishingdogfoundation.org for the details and to purchase a raffle ticket, (6:17) just 20 bucks each. Fishingdogfoundation.org. It’s all part of the weekday wake up this morning (6:22) on the SVI radio network.