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Police Host Annual K9 Fundraiser
Oakdale police

One might say Breanne Stever is not dissimilar to most wives of men in uniform.

Above all adjectives which may describe her, she is supportive of her husband, Oakdale K9 Officer Andrew Stever. Her support, however, has extended beyond the home as she is the mastermind behind the OPD K9 Dinner to be hosted this year on Saturday, July 28.

The annual fundraiser will be hosted for the third year at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave.

Social hour will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. followed by a live auction and dancing. Tickets are $40 per person, $320 per table or the VIP table at $500 which includes 16 drink tickets, gun raffle tickets, as well as 40 raffle tickets. The VIP table package is a $600 value.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Oakdale Police Department K9 Program.

“She’s the brain child behind all of this,” Officer Stever said of his wife.

“They were two years in,” Breanne said of her husband’s first two of his five years as a K9 officer, “and the reason the original K9 program ended was because of lack of funding.

“We have a very giving community,” she continued. “We decided it was time to act and not just leave it to the generous donors who had been supporting it.”

OPD currently has two K9 teams: Officer Stever and Chevy, as well as Officer Blake Ebbert and Cruze. While a third K9 is not currently in the plans, the proceeds benefit the needs and training of the current K9 officers. Funds will pay for items such as toys, leashes, car equipment, harnesses, vests, as well as uniform replacement. Training is also key and critical, as it is mandated that 16 hours of training per month must be maintained by each officer.

“It’s awesome to be there and see so many having so much fun,” Officer Stever said of the event. “It’s really nice to see our community come out and support us.”

And support they have. The husband wife team shared the first two years have brought close to $40,000 to the program through ticket sales, raffle items and live auction items. Stever noted the handmade items from area fabricators as one of attendee favorites, always bringing in a large sum of money.

With just a month left before the event Breanne is focused on bringing in more live auction items in hopes of increasing the fundraising while her husband is focused on filling those seats.

“Just get your tickets,” Stever said. “It’s always a great time.”

For information on donations or obtaining tickets call Officer Stever at (209) 603-8813 or Officer Ebbert at (209) 840-4075.