MINERAL COUNTY — “We’ve been busy, but everything is going really well this summer,” began Mineral County Sheriff Terry Wetherill. “Besides some minor traffic incidences and a few other things, the county has been relatively quiet.”

Mineral County has seen quite a few guests this summer season and the new sheriff has been busy from one day to the next.

“We have something going on every day whether its training, patrols or search and rescue. Community feedback has been positive and that is what we strive for,” said Wetherill.

One of the main focuses the sheriff had for the summer season was to spread out patrol units to a different neighborhood every week. By doing this in partnership with the Rio Grande National Forest, the county has had more coverage than in years past.

“The community has been appreciative with the new patrol schedule, and it seems to be working out really well,” explained Wetherill.

Now that summer is halfway done, Wetherill and his team are looking to continue training and hopefully hire an additional deputy.

“We received grant funding through the state to put one cadet through law enforcement academy and we are hoping to gain an additional deputy through that process. Beyond that we will continue training the staff we have and get ready for the coming fall,” he said.

For the next several weeks Wetherill and his office will be working with the Friends of Mineral County Emergency Services (FOMCES) on this year’s fundraiser golf tournament and dinner. The golf tournament will be at the Rio Grande Club and Resort on Sunday, July 23, and tickets for the Aug. 12 dinner are available at the sheriff’s office.

“We are really excited for this year. There will be some great donations for the auction, and we will have the drawings for the Henry Commemorative Rifles again this year. We are still looking for donations for the auction so if anyone has something they would like to donate they can contact the sheriff’s office. Anything helps and we are so grateful for the work that goes into this every year it takes place,” Wetherill said.

Money from this bi-annual event goes to each branch of emergency services within the county. From ambulance to fire services, each branch receives a portion of the funds to help with training costs and equipment.

In recent years, the group established a non-profit and has made this event something to look forward to near the end of summer. This year the dinner will take place on Aug. 12, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

To donate items for the auction, contact the sheriff's office and or FOMCES board members Robert Goodwin at 972-989-3833, Bob Holt at 917-680-6742, or Craig Wear at 936-689-2294.

"It's not the cost of the item but the value of the life that is saved," Wetherill said.