By Mindy Ragan Wood
Staff Writer
Smicklas Chevrolet was in the Christmas spirit last Friday when dealership officials presented $15,000 in donations to the Yukon police and fire departments.
Both departments received $7,500 each to go toward much needed items that their city budgets do not cover.
“I’m very appreciative of this,” Fire Chief Sean Vogt said. “Anytime we try to upgrade equipment, replace equipment on trucks that’s getting worn or used, the prices always go up and budgets are tight. Anytime we get donations of this magnitude, we don’t know exactly what we’ll use it for, but we will get a committee together and see what our priorities are. We’re always upgrading hoses, nozzles every year and that stuff is expensive.”
The Yukon Police Department raised money for months to pay for a robotic device that helps with traffic investigations but their wish list is longer than one item.
“We’ve got several projects going on,” Chief John Corn said. “We’ve got the total robotics station and we just looked at some new technology that will do what the total station did but it’s been transferred into a drone format. We’re going to look at some of the proceeds for that. We’d like to update some of the warning equipment to some of the existing fleet that we have and it couldn’t have come at a better time. We have so many projects that have fallen in the middle of the budget year. It’s a great gift, just awesome.”
City Manager Jim Crosby was also appreciative of the donation.
“I think it’s great that our first responders are being recognized,” Crosby said. “They do a great job for the community and the service they provide. We do appreciate that the people recognize more and more the wonderful job they do. It’s nice that Smicklas Chevrolet gave them this wonderful recognition and grant to us and I’m sure it will be well spent.”
General Motors, which manufactures Chevrolet, created the grant for first responders. Smicklas Chevrolet chose Yukon for the grants.
“We chose Yukon police and fire because they’re right at our door and we wanted to thank them,” Smicklas Chevrolet Community Relationship Manager Rolanda Estrada said. “They take care of a lot of lives. It’s a great way for us to say thank you.”
The dealership also provides discounts to first responders.
