Good morning. My guest today is Sheriff Schroetlund. We talk about the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority and the partnership they have with Granby Ace Hardware for the month of November. So they're doing this fundraiser to help get a new rescue boat here in the county, which is very much needed. We talk about the ways that you can give at Ace Hardware in Granby this November by doing the roundup at the register and the 16th annual ladies night and other ways that you can donate. So please sit back and enjoy my interview with Sheriff Shetland. How are you today?

Good morning, I'm doing great. How are you doing today on this cold, chilly morning?

I know, and Winter Park is opening this weekend. It's crazy.

That's what I heard too. Yes, we're going from summer to winter here quickly. Yeah, that's the way it always seems, but it's crazy. That's what I heard too.

Yes, we're going from summer to winter here quickly, yeah, that's the way it always seems. But it's good, I wanted to go back. We had talked I don't know one of our last podcasts. We talked about the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority and I wanted if you could just recap what that authority does, how it got started and its mission.

Sure. So I think we actually talked this summer when we were talking water safety and when we had all of our summer tourists here, and even though there's snow on the ground now, we're still pushing that mission forward with Headwaters Water Rescue Authority. And basically the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority is a collaborative effort between local sheriff's office, local fire agencies, grand County EMS. It's a collective approach to water rescues and hopefully not, but potentially recoveries as well.

We realized over time that we all you know, we all work together so well in different fashions, but water rescue needs to be one of those fashions as well, and so it's that collaborative, collective approach. We have, you know, 23 square miles or so of lakes in Grand County, of waterfronts, and we have a lot of emergencies on the lakes, and so we need to be prepared for that. You know, unfortunately, back in 2015, when I first became sheriff, we experienced a water recovery on Lake Granby with Christopher Mullinex. So the Walt Mullinex Foundation has been huge, and so we work with them, basically just to keep our waterways safe, where responders can respond as necessary, and then, unfortunately, if tragedy happens, we're also prepared for that as well.

And it is. It's what you guys do is great with the safety vest.

The personal flotation devices and PFTs and that really goes to Dee Mullinex and her team from the Mullinexes that keep that going. You know that's their legacy for Chris and they keep those stations staffed and I know the fire departments help them with that as well. But a great resource.

Yes, well, so this leads into the next question. Is that this authority has partnered with Granby Ace Hardware on some fundraisers to help the county with a rescue boat, which is much needed in this county from what I understand.

It is. You know we've experienced with some different rescue boats over the years. They've kind of been the lower key boats that we were able to afford at the time. They've got out there, they've done the job. But we really need the boat for the right mission and that's what we're looking for right now Something that's compatible with our conditions up here, with the amount of waterfront that we have, and Granby Ace Hardware has been a huge deal with that for us. Granby Ace is also a huge partner in the community. We know that they do their month roundup drives where if you have a $25.20 transaction, they ask you if you want to round up that change to whatever nonprofit they're focusing on that month. The month of November is going to be for Headwaters Rescue Authority to help us support this boat purchase, and so I can't thank Amy and her staff over there enough for what they do for the community and especially this month for Headwaters Rescue Authority is huge.

Yeah, and I think they make quite a bit of money. I know I always have them round up because it's always for a good cause.

I always do too, and you see that little tag pop up that says donate to Pet Pals or whatever it is. I know we've been very successful with pet pals at ACE hardware before as well. You know that I'm aware of. So there is, there's good that comes with that.

Absolutely so. The other thing you're doing, that you're working with ASAN is the 16th annual Ladies Night, and I'm going to miss it this year, darn it. That's okay, that's okay, but that's going to be happening November the 14th, from 6 to 9. And it's just a $10 donation, so you can give more, which we would encourage people to.

Absolutely yes. You know the $10 donation to get in, and then that goes to Headwaters Rescue Authority and then, yeah, if you can put in a little extra to help us get our goal of getting this rescue boat going, we'd appreciate it.

So what is your goal?

You know, it's kind of a moving goal. Right now All the agencies are upping our contributions into the authority a little bit this year, and then the Mullinexes have some donations that they've already accumulated that they plan to put towards it. We could almost be looking at about $200,000 for this boat, the way that it needs to be properly equipped for our conditions up here, and we're a good start there. I don't know the exact here, and we're a good start there. I don't know the exact amount, but we're a good start there, but we've got a ways to go for sure.

Yeah, so contribute. You also can contribute to the authority, and it is a charitable donation. Yes, it's a charitable donation. I'm looking here. Charitable donation I'm looking here. They can mail a check to the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority at the Grand Fire Protection District number one at PO Box 338 here in Granby, and we encourage everybody to do that if they can't get to one of the functions that ACE is doing or if they don't go to ACE, which I don't know, there's days I go to ACE two to three times.

Me too, absolutely, and you know we recognize ACE is a great partner and they're helping us this time. I also remind people that you know, if you can't necessarily donate but you want to put on another type of fundraiser activity, such as what ACE is doing, please reach out to us. You know, reach out to the head, reach out to me, reach out to any of the fire chiefs, the EMS chief, anybody can help you. But you know, events are just as good for us because, number one, it gets the name out of what Headwaters Rescue Authority is doing and then, second, you know, any opportunity for those fundraisers or donations goes a long way.

So give, give, give. Tis the season.

Yes, please.

Yes, like I said, I'm sorry I'm missing this ladies' night, but I know it's always highly successful and I'm hoping that you guys make your goal and keep doing the great work that you're doing.

Well, we appreciate your support always and the community support. That's one of the things I love about Grand County is, you know, we have the support of the community, we have that partnership. Those things are critical. And I just ask them to continue on with that.

Well, thank you, we appreciate it All that you're doing too. I know winter's coming and you guys will be out in full force again helping make everything safe, so we appreciate that.

It's a snowstorm and I'm already working out of my car this morning, so thank you so much.

You are Well. I appreciate your time. I know you're a busy man and I look forward to talking to you soon.

Thank you so much. Have a great day, thank you, thank you.