The first Arnold Back the Blue Trivia Night, held March 26 at the Meramec Arnold Elks in Imperial, exceeded expectations, said Matt Phillips, president of the Arnold Police Officers Association.
About 450 people took part in the event, which raised $25,313.94 for the association, organizers said.
The association, which partnered with Leader Publications to hold the event, will donate $10,000 to BackStoppers and use the rest to fund the group’s Shop with a Hero program that is held in December and provides children in need the chance to shop with a first-responder for Christmas gifts, said Kevin Wilson, the association’s vice president.
“This event is a game changer,” Phillips said. “The Leader really helped us out with this, and it really changes the game on how we raise money to help not only the local community but organizations like BackStoppers and the Gary Sinise Foundation, which has helped our own officers.”
Former Arnold Police Officer Ryan O’Connor, who was shot in the head by a burglary suspect in December 2017, received a smart home that better suits his needs from the Gary Sinise Foundation.
The team that won the 10-round trivia game was made up of state Rep. Dan Shaul; his wife, Kim Shaul; Arnold Ward 1 City Councilman EJ Fleischmann; John and Cindy Gamache; Tracy Ealey; Traci Skaggs; Shelley Goddard; Dawn Hutchcraft; and Steve Albright. The team donated their $400 prize back to the Police Officers Association.
Along with the trivia game, the night featured a silent auction, raffles, a 50-50 drawing and a game of heads or tails.
Kraig Schinzing, 33, of Byrnes Mill was a big winner during the event, taking home a wheelbarrow full of liquor and a custom-built AR-15 rifle worth about $1,500.
Cathy Auer, 58, of Imperial won a drawing for a Backwoods Smoker Chubby 3400 worth $1,000, and John McCarthy, 41, of High Ridge took home $1,170 after winning the 50-50 drawing.
Heather Lewis, 47, of St. Louis won $116 in the heads-or-tails game, where participants had to predict a coin toss.
“The trivia night was a wonderful event with plenty of winners taking home fantastic prizes,” Leader assistant publisher Peggy Scott said. “The biggest winner, of course, will be everyone the Arnold Police Officers Association will be able to help with the money raised from the night. The Leader is proud to partner with them, and we look forward to future trivia nights.”
Phillips said the Police Officers Association plans to hold trivia nights annually.
“I am overwhelmed by the support we got from the community,” he said. “This is all going back to the community. All the money raised is going to help others.”
Phillips said about 20 volunteers helped run the trivia night.
“What was great about it was they (volunteers) were not just police officers,” he said. “We had 911 dispatchers, Arnold Police dispatchers, husbands, wives and children. Everyone came and helped. It was a big team effort.”