(From the 9-1-22 archives) Schools to receive shields

Ballistic shields will soon be placed  in  each school district in Haskell County, thanks to an $18,400 donation from the Jerry G. Jackson Foundation Inc.
Funds for the shields were requested by Haskell County Sheriff Tim Turner, who submitted an application to the foundation, and the application was recently approved by the foundation’s board members.
Jerry G. Jackson was owner and president of First National Bank for many years. Jackson and the bank prospered and he wanted to give back to the community, according to Mike Butler, a foundation board member and current president of First National Bank.
As per Jackson’s instructions, the foundation’s funds are to be given to non-profit organizations and used for “any kind of endeavors that would help mainly Haskell County and the citizens of Haskell County,” Butler told the Stigler News-Sentinel.
“We’re so glad that Jerry had put this together before he passed away,” Butler said, adding that the foundation’s board members want funds to be used for causes that are going to affect a lot of people in the county.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, Butler presented the funds to Scott Walton, sheriff of Rogers County, and chairman and founder of the Stand 1st Foundation.
That foundation will purchase the shields which will be delivered to the schools in four to six weeks, according to Haskell County Sheriff Tim Turner.
Turner said law enforcement will be aware of where the shields are in each school and they will provide training for administrators and teachers regarding use of the shields.
Turner expressed his appreciation to the local foundation and said that Haskell County will be “the first county in Oklahoma to have a shield in every school.”
The sheriff added that the goal is to also have shields in all full-time patrol cars in the county.  
Representatives of each of the county’s schools attended the check presentation ceremony at the Haskell County sheriff’s department on Tuesday.
Scott Shepherd, Whitefield’s superintendent, expressed his appreciation for the dedication of Sheriff Turner, Sheriff Walton and the county sheriff’s office to protect the students and staff at the county’s schools. He added that for Haskell County to be one of the first in the country to have shields at all the schools “is definitely a blessing for our schools and our community.”
David Morgan, Stigler’s superintendent, said “We just appreciate our local sheriff’s department, Sheriff Turner, Sheriff Walton from Rogers County being proactive and along beside our school to help try to help protect our students and teachers on an everyday basis and I know that it gives our teachers and students a sense of protection and assurance that they are taken care of.”

File photo: From left, are Scott Walton, David Morgan, Mike Butler and Tim Turner.

Editor's Note: The shields were recently received. A story and photo regarding the shields are in the May 3 issue.

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