SOUTH COLORADO – Thanks to your generosity, KOAA News 5 has reached its goal of raising $ 60,000 for SHIELD616, which will be used to provide protective equipment to first responders. In the end, we raised $ 65,000 as a result of our telethon and week-long coverage of SHIELD616’s annual Border to Border Ride.

The Border to Border Ride is a 480-mile, five-day bicycle trip, starting at the Colorado-Utah border and ending at the Colorado-Kansas border. Dozens of riders competed this year, including KOAA News 5 anchor Ira Cronin.

The ride continues to grow each time, and this year’s running team had more participating first responders than ever before.

Fundraising for this race was directed to 10 Colorado agencies, including the Boulder Police Department following the King Soopers Active Shooter Incident, in which Constable Eric Talley was lost when ‘he confronted the shooter. A total of 55 ballistic vests were presented to the 10 agencies. Each ballistic vest costs $ 2,400.

SHEILD616 was created by former Colorado Springs Police Officer Jake Skifstad.

“As a law enforcement agency, we’re supposed to protect you from any threats. If it’s a rifle, we have no protection against it, ”Skifstad said.

SHIELD616 began with a focus on law enforcement in southern Colorado, now their efforts have grown to include firefighters and paramedics. The organization is also present in more than 20 states across the United States and has helped supply equipment to 300 agencies.

To learn more about how SHIELD616 has helped our first responders, click here to view the stories over the years as they have used your donations for this worthy cause.

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