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Local law enforcement agencies around Troup County gathered together last week to help one of their own.

The Troup County Sheriff’s and Marshal’s Office, Georgia State Patrol, the LaGrange, Hogansville and West Point Police Departments, along with the Solicitor’s Office, served just over a thousand barbecue lunches to benefit Trooper Blake Shiver, who recently underwent a heart transplant.

Solicitor Sandra Taylor, who helped organize the BBQ fundraiser, along with others involved, presented Shiver with the funds raised from the fundraiser on the courthouse steps on Wednesday. 

Friday’s BBQ fundraiser raised $13,989 in cash for the Shiver family. In addition to the sack lunch sale, the Georgia-Alabama Towing Association also presented Shiver with $3,200 from their organization. 

In total, $17,414 was donated to the Shiver family as the trooper continues to recover.

“Our community always comes together in a huge way to support our own. Trooper Shiver is a big part of the post here and is very much involved in law enforcement. This community and all of these guys work together, all the municipalities, the two county agencies that are here, the marshal’s office and the sheriff’s department, and my office prosecutes cases for all of them,” Taylor said.

Terry Stanford of Stanford Automotive said the towing association donated to the trooper because he is part of the team.

“They’re one of our team members. They’re part of our family. We are out there working with them every day. They protect us every day. You got to have people that’s got your back on the side of the road.”

“Without them, the towers in the United States die six times more than all law enforcement and road construction do each year, so it’s really important that we take care of our guys, and we take care of everybody that assists us doing our job,” Stanford said.

Shiver said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.

“It’s overwhelming. I feel blessed,” Shiver said, struggling to find the words. “I feel loved.”

Shiver said the funds will greatly help his family with medical expenses and the time he lost being off work. He said he is going on disability as he recovers but plans to return to work when he is at full strength.

“I love being a trooper, he said. “I’m too young to sit at home and do nothing.”