Public Safety not only helps keep the campus safe, they also get involved in the community through beneficial actions.

Scott Rhoad, director of Public Safety, said some of those actions in the past have included donations to Johnson County Cancer Foundation, hospice, Concerns of Police Survivors, Campus Cupboard and Alzheimer’s research.

These are not all of the organizations, they are always looking for more opportunities.

“Every so often the Department of Public Safety has a fundraiser auction and it’s made up primarily of items that are donated to the department,” Rhoad said. “Then the proceeds from that auction go to different philanthropic endeavors.”

This year, the auction proceeds went to the Big Pink Volleyball tournament, which gives back to Johnson County Cancer Foundation.

“I think between the auction items and a couple donations, we’ll end up giving $500 to Big Pink,” Rhoad said.

The department contributes in other ways throughout the year.

“You’ll actually see several officers with their pink badges,” Rhoad said. “The officers purchased those themselves just to help support breast cancer this month.”

Wearing the pink badges hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“I do think it’s really cool to have their support and they’re wearing pink badges this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” said Emma Gibbons, community involvement chair for Big Pink and senior psychology major.

Rhoad said the support and giving back to the community seems to be what it’s all about.

“It’s kind of one of those things that I personally enjoy, giving back to the community,” Rhoad said. “If we host two (auctions) in a year, we try and make sure one stays local, like Johnson County Cancer Foundation. The other one we may do national, like the Alzheimer’s research. If we just do one it usually stays local.”

Gibbons said local support has meant a lot to her.

“The money staying local is so important to me because there are so many organizations where money would go all over the U.S. and to have the money we raise go to helping people specifically in this area could mean that your best friend’s mom or dad who is suffering from cancer can be helped with this event,” Gibbons said.

Helping collect donations and host the auction was an easy choice for Public Safety Rhoad, said.

“I think it’s kind of the nature of most individuals in law enforcement, that connection with the community, the wanting to make the lives of others better in whatever way we can,” Rhoad said.

Overall, Gibbons said she wants everyone to look forward to this event in years to come.

“I would love to see the campus and community come more and more together until we can just pink out the whole town someday,” Gibbons said. “I would love to see the community participate in the tournament, too. Every little thing makes such a huge difference in this fight.”