Lt. Kara Blackwell can’t hide the emotional toll that comes with thinking about officers killed in the line of duty.
“We started it in 2012 with the line of duty death of Roger Rice Junior from Laurens County,” Lt. Kara Blackwell said.
Even still, she organizes the Upstate South Carolina Low Enforcement Memorial Softball Tournament year after year.
“We did a one-year tournament to raise money for his spouse and children at the time and it’s grown from there,” Blackwell said.
Hosted at Century Park, the tournament has 13 teams competing this year—it’s the most ever. The tournament includes a raffle, t-shirt sales, and ways to donate each year.
“We save all of the money that we raise every year. Hope that we never ever ever have to spend it,” Blackwell said.
Then, it’s there when the unthinkable happens.
“The money is for families when officers are killed in the line of duty here in the upstate,” Lt. Blackwell said.
Lt. Blackwell says it’s important to include those families in the tournament in any way they feel comfortable.
“Often times we have the spouse, more often the children of those fallen officers participate in the tournament, usually by throwing the first pitch,” Blackwell said.
She says seeing those families surrounded by support is part of why she continues to organize the tournament annually.
“It just brings everything full circle, and it’s the reason why we’re there,” Lt. Blackwell said.
You can support the tournament by donating online or coming out Saturday and Sunday to cheer on the teams.