Texoma Back the Badge Foundation holds 6th annual memorial golf tournament

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - The Texoma Back the Badge Foundation held its 6th annual memorial golf tournament Friday morning.

Texoma Back the Badge Foundation was back on the green Friday for their 6th annual golf tournament, all to raise money for family of passed law enforcement officers, and show appreciation to our local men and women in blue.

“We realized that we need to do something here in Texoma to show appreciation to law enforcement not only here in Grayson County but in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma,” said Zac Grantham, President of the Texoma Back the Badge Foundation.

The Texoma Back the Badge Memorial Golf Tournament was named in honor of Rickey Wheeler and Vincent Castellanos, two local officers remembered for their dedication to the badge.

“It’s very special to see how this foundation has grown over the years,” said Laura Wheeler, board member for the foundation and wife of late Rickey Wheeler.

It was a day of camaraderie, fundraising and teeing off.

“We have raised through our generous sponsorships and also through community leaders, we have raised well over a quarter of a million dollars in just a couple of years,” said Grantham.

This year is the first for Durant police to get involved in the event.

“This is an excellent way to support law enforcement as they certainly give back when the officers have given their all,” said Durant Police Chief David Houser.

Shelley Russell volunteered for the first time in honor of her son, OHP trooper Nicholas Dees, who died in the line of duty in 2015.

“It never gets easy but just seeing the support and all the golfers here and what they do and they enjoy golfing but they’re also giving back to the surviving families, we can’t thank them enough,” said Russell.

“We just could not do this without the folks here in Texoma,” said Grantham.

Last year’s event raised nearly $90,000 for the foundation. This year they hope to top that, and maybe reach six figures. Learn more about the Texoma Back the Badge Foundation on their website linked here.