On Wednesday, July 2, 2006, Fraternal Order of Police, Grand Canyon State Lodge #32 President and DPS Sergeant, Lynn Ideus presented a check for $5,000 to the 100 Club of Arizona. In a ceremony at the 69th Annual State Conference of the Fraternal Order of Police, held at the DoubleTree Suites in Phoenix, DPS employees Ideus, Sergeant John Ortolano, Sue LeHew (FOP 32 Associate Lodge President), Governor Janet Napolitano and some 100-plus delegates to the conference gifted Ms. Sharon Knutson-Felix with the sizable donation.

Ms. Knutson-Felix said she “is always willing to receive a donation for the 100 Club” but was pleasantly surprised when the check she received amounted to 10 times more than the donation she often receives from corporations and individuals.

Ms. Knutson-Felix said the money will help support a new scholarship program for line-of-duty disabled police, firefighters, and their families. Ms. Knutson-Felix said injured and disabled public safety members are often forgotten and their families are devastated by the tragic interruption of their lives. She once heard a disabled public safety member say his family would be better off if he had died instead of being injured to the point of disability. Ms. Knutson-Felix said “I went home and cried after hearing those words” and she began working to better the lives of these valued members of public safety.

FOP Lodge 32 raised the donation through the sale of the Highway Patrol 75th Anniversary badges to DPS present and retired employees. President Ideus committed all the profits from the initial sale of 1,100 badges to the 100 Club of Arizona, after expenses were paid. The badges sold for $40 apiece. The profit margin increased when the badge manufacturer absorbed the shipping cost which was estimated to be about $1,000.

Sergeant John Ortolano was the creative and driving force in securing specifications and bids for the special edition of the Arizona Highway Patrol badge. John commented “he had the easy part in the whole process - the real work and credit goes to Sergeant Coe Mitchell and Administrative Service Officer Sandy Othon” who coordinated the ordering, payment and distribution of the badges for employees and retirees throughout Arizona and around the country.

Governor Napolitano was in attendance at the conference to receive the thanks and praise of the State Fraternal Order of Police for her continued support of law enforcement issues and legislation. The State Lodge presented Governor Napolitano with a Hawaiian-print shirt depicting the USS Arizona Memorial. The memorial is the benefactor of Ms. Napolitano’s efforts to raise funds to restore the deteriorating monument immortalizing the lives lost on the battleship Arizona on December 7, 1941. President Ideus also presented Ms. Napolitano a 75th Anniversary badge with her status as Governor inscribed on the badge rocker. Governor Napolitano was truly taken aback by the badge presentation and jokingly asked if it would get her out of a speeding ticket.

Ms. Knutson-Felix became actively involved in the 100 Club of Arizona after her husband Doug Knutson, a DPS motor officer, was killed in the line of duty in 1998. Ms. Knutson-Felix now serves as Executive Director for the charitable foundation and is married to DPS Deputy Director David Felix.

The 100 Club of Arizona is a volunteer, benevolent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation committed to “Standing Behind the Men and Women Who Stand Behind the Badge.” For more information visit: www.100club.org