New nonprofit Henderson County Heroes gives back to those who serve us
HENDERSONVILLE - When members of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office saw a financial need for families of law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders, they took action, forming a new nonprofit last year with a deserving name: Henderson County Heroes.
When it was first formed in 2022, the organization used a GoFundMe page as its main fundraiser, but now as it continues to grow, it's finding other ways to raise funds, including the first Henderson County Heroes Golf Tournament, which will be Sept. 30 at Crooked Creek Golf Course. Sheriff Lowell Griffin knew he needed someone to be in charge of setting up the tournament, and he knew just the right person: Former Henderson County Sheriff George Erwin.
Turns out Griffin already had his old friend Erwin on his force, serving as a career counselor.
"Sheriff Griffin had me come in and do career counseling for all the staff. I've been doing it since December 2022," Erwin told the Times-News on Aug. 24. "In the process, he asked if I'd be willing to do a golf tournament for Henderson County Heroes, and I said, 'Sure ... what's Henderson County Heroes?'"
Griffin explained about the nonprofit, and Erwin was excited to be a part of it, he said. Erwin knows all about the hardships law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders face daily. He retired as Henderson County Sheriff in 2006 after serving nearly 28 years with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, including his last 12 years as sheriff.
Griffin also knows not only about the hardships facing law enforcement officers, but also first responders as well.
"This is a great program. We have a community here that is a really benevolent community, and they really support not only their law enforcement, they support emergency services all the way around," Griffin told the Times-News on Aug. 24. "I've been really fortunate to be involved in different aspects of emergency services. I started off as a junior firefighter in the county. My brother currently serves as one of the county career fire chiefs. In my work in the fire service and my work in the sheriff's office, especially my days working patrol, I worked hand and hand with paramedics and firefighters.
"Every one of these people are so important to the welfare of this county. Every one of them is expected to be superhuman when the call comes in and when they're dispatched. They are all dealing with the same issues that all humans deal with."
The need for funds
Griffin and Erwin have seen their fellow law enforcement families face times of hardship and grief through the years.
"We have had the tragic experience of losing an officer, Ryan Hendrix, in the line of duty since I have been sheriff, and before that, we lost Shane Thomas in the line of duty," Griffin said. "We had one of my lieutenants, Jordan Warren, lose his son to childhood cancer, Jax. It was so tragic and so heartbreaking. We've had emergency medical service workers that have been involved in collisions while responding on duty and no fault of their own that have put them in grave condition. They still have bills to pay ... they have medical expenses that are going to need to be met down the road."
More: Parents of fallen deputy Ryan Hendrix honored with his service weapon
Griffin said firefighters have also fallen ill because of the stresses of the job and have been injured on the job.
"There have been national institutions come forward and been established. They're there to try to help first responders and do a tremendous job. What we wanted to do was something on the local level," Griffin said. "There are people who want to donate and give money. We need to do that in a systematic way. A nonprofit group was established here to support all emergency services. This gives us the platform that we need to be able to accept donations and to be able to hold some fundraisers."
Griffin said there's a board that governs the organization and the disbursement of any funds.
"This board that was established comes from all different walks of life within Henderson County," he said. "I'm proud to be able to support this. As the county grows, and it is growing by leaps and bounds, the emergency services and the emergency services sector has to grow to serve the people of this county. We need to continue that support, and this is a phenomenal way to do that."
Meet the Heroes Board of Directors
Below is a list of the board members of Henderson County Heroes, with descriptions provided from the Henderson County Heroes Facebook page:
Retired Sheriff George Erwin, president: He worked for 28 years for the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, including his last 12 as sheriff, retiring in 2006. After his retirement, he was the executive director for the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police for 10 years. He served in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1975.
Retired Maj. Steve Carter, vice president: He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and served with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years. He is now the CEO of Carter Private Investigation and Protection Services, LLC, where his focus remains on armed private protection and investigation. He holds a degree in security management and was the recipient of the Congressional Record from Congressman Mark Meadows in 2020.
Justin Blythe, treasurer: He is a senior vice president of commercial banking at First Bank specializing in large and complex commercial finance. He is an active member of Henderson County Rescue Squad (16 years) serving in the positions of captain, assistant team leader and board treasurer and secretary. He has also served on the Henderson County Fire & Rescue Advisory Committee for seven years and is the current chairman.
Bailey Chase: He was born in Chicago but moved to Florida after his parents divorced at a young age. He attended Duke University on a football scholarship and majored in psychology. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career, which encompassed a training stint in London. His first film break came in Adam Shankman's Cosmo's Tale, which screened at both Sundance and Cannes. His career blossomed in television starting with Buffy the Vampire Slayer then working with Oscar winners in Saving Grace and Damages before his own critically-acclaimed performance in Longmire. Since then, Chase has starred in various projects, including Batman Vs. Superman, Chicago PD, 24: Legacy, Twin Peaks and Queen of the South. Next up is Far Haven (2023). He resides in Henderson County with his wife and three children.
Jeff Donaldson: Donaldson currently serves as State Certified Residential Appraiser and is a broker and owner with Apple Country Realty. He has served on many different boards for the community.
Doug Henderson: Henderson is a native of Henderson County who retired from Dana Fire and Rescue in 2022 with 50 years of service, including 35 as a volunteer with the department and 15 as an employee, with the rank of lieutenant.
David Lewkowicz: He is the founding/lead pastor of The Bridge Church Hendersonville. He also serves the men and women of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department as a chaplain since December 2018.
The golf tournament
Erwin told the Times-News on Aug. 29 that the first annual Henderson County Heroes Golf Tournament registration was officially closed, with some good news to share.
More: Unlike Asheville, Henderson County law enforcement not experiencing staffing issues
"We have achieved our goal of 30 teams with 120 players. Henderson County is a public safety community," he said.
The major sponsor is First Bank and the corporate sponsors are as follows: McDonald's, Feeding by Grace Ministry,1-800-BoardUp of Asheville, Apple Country Realty, Vista Strategies, Triangle Stop, Rhinehart Fire Service, Egolf of Brevard, Allen Tate/Beverly Hanks, Crooked Creek Golf Course, Upward Christian Fellowship Church, Awesome Printing and Agape Printing & Graphics.
"We are hoping for even more sponsors next year. I've already talked with several who have already committed," Erwin said.
Anyone wanting to make a donation can do so by mailing a check to Henderson County Heroes, Inc.,PO Box 561, Hendersonville, NC 28793. More information will also be coming soon to its website at https://hendoheroes.com/.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson County Heroes gives back to emergency services workers
