‘We hit the social impact we needed’: WeeShire Mains, Kimball Police Department fundraiser deemed successful

KIMBALL -- WeeShire Mains and the Kimball Police Department raised just over $2,400 from the Barnyard & Badges event held in accordance with the Farmer’s Day weekend festivities. 

The two entities collaborated to bring a fun event to the community and raise funds to open opportunities for both organizations. 

The event included goat snuggles, a sensory barn, car seat safety check, cotton candy, silent auction, a Junior Officer game, and a chance to dunk a Kimball officer in the dunk tank. 

“While we didn’t raise near what our goal was, we hit the social impact that we needed,” said Sarah Shropshire from WeeShire Mains. 

The event not only attracted people from surrounding communities like Gering, but also from hours away in Alliance and Denver. 

“I count that as a huge win,” Shropshire said. “We had 237 visitors which we thought was really awesome, especially for the first year.” 

Shropshire said her goal was to bring awareness of their farm and the benefits it offers in order to bring more possibilities to grow the farm. 

“We had tons of positive feedback, and I had someone tell me ‘Everybody that I know is going to know about this place now,’” Shropshire said. 

The money raised from the fundraiser will be split evenly between the two entities. 

WeeShire Mains’ top priorities are to expand their blueberry field, make repairs to current animal enclosures, and build a new sensory barn. 

The KPD will put their funds toward new computers for their patrol cars. 

“The technology in our department is very behind, and what I’ve wanted is to progress into the modern age including having the capability of in-car computers,” said Chief of Police Jose Ruiz. “It would streamline our process so we’re not constantly going through dispatch.

The in-car computers would give officers the ability to submit reports, search criminal history reports, driver’s licenses, vehicle plates and much more straight from their vehicles. 

In order to qualify for a grant to fund the in-car computers, the department needs to start a fund to put toward the computers first. 

Shropshire said the event would not have been possible without the sponsors FirsTier Bank, Patriot Car Wash, Western Community Health Resources, Nebraska Lifespan Respite Network, and 104.3 KIMB. 

She also gave a big thank you to Upside Down Childcare Director Angie Luppen for her help during the event to make it a success.