The Boy Scout Troop from New Madison led the way for the opening ceremony of the 59th annual Darke County Sheriff’s Patrol Home & Sports Expo.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
By Ryan Berry
DailyAdvocate.com
GREENVILLE — The 59th annual Darke County Sheriff’s Patrol Home & Sports Expo was held March 31 through April 2 at the Darke County Fairgrounds. The annual event supports the Patrol and all of the community service projects it provides.
Sheriff’s Patrol member Ron Beisner praised the vendors and visitors to the show, “We really appreciate your attendance here. The community that we serve really means a lot to us. The money we make here goes back to the community.” He explained the Patrol supports the Darke County Sheriff without taking money from public funds.
Sheriff Mark Whittaker shared the Patrol has changed over the past few years and is made up of volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office and is designed to give back to the community. He explained it is not only deputies, but it is also full- and part-time members of the office, including corrections officers, clerks, dispatchers, etc. and their families. In addition to providing security at local high school games, the Patrol also supports the Warm Winter Wear program and other activities throughout the county. Whittaker thanked the men and women of the Darke County Sheriff’s Department for all they do and shared how they take time out of their schedule to volunteer. “They are not here on the taxpayer dime. It’s not something they have to do; they choose to do it.”
Whittaker also thanked the men and women that have kept the event going over the past several years. Diane Delaplane, an expo committee member, recalled several years ago when the show had 24 vendors. She was excited to announce over 100 vendors at this year’s event.
Commissioners Larry Holmes, Marshall Combs and Matt Aultman also thanked the Sheriff’s Patrol and the department for all they do to keep the community safe. State Representative Angie King echoed their words.
Delaplane announced Dick Rhoades will be resigning from the committee following the 2023 event. She thanked him for his many years of service.
Also participating in the opening ceremony were the New Madison Boy Scouts who presented the Colors and 12-year-old Paityn Lehr who sang the National Athem. She is a member of We are the Majority and is a middle school student at Greenville.
To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].
