🤠 🤠 🤠 Cowboy hats for Kids FIRST! 🤠🤠🤠 Over the past few years, Lane County Sheriff’s Office employees have raised funds for Kids FIRST, our local children’s advocacy center. After donating, employees could either grow beards or wear blue jeans, depending on their work assignment and uniform. With the grooming policy potentially changing to allow beards soon, what started as a small “No Shave November” fundraiser and grew to raise over $13,000 each year, was going to end. But we couldn’t let a good thing go, so – staff who choose to make a donation now have the option to wear cowboy hats! Cowboy hats hold a deep historical significance for deputy sheriffs and law enforcement, particularly in the American West. Originating in the late 19th century, cowboy hats were practical gear for ranchers and frontiersmen, offering protection from the sun and elements. As lawmen worked in similar rugged environments, the hat became part of their functional attire. Over time, it evolved into a recognizable symbol of professionalism, resilience, and tradition. Today, the cowboy hat remains a proud emblem in many sheriff's offices, reflecting both heritage and a commitment to serve and protect with integrity in rural and frontier communities. And in Lane County, they're more practical than ever. Our current ball caps don’t protect our deputy’s ears or necks from the summer sun, or the constant winter rain that inevitably soaks into everything without proper headgear. So don’t be surprised when you see deputies out on patrol with the new headgear – and maybe even offer up a good old fashioned “howdy!” If you’re not familiar with the incredible work that Kids FIRST does in our community, and how it is directly connected to the work our office is engaged in, check out www.kidsfirstcenter.net. Want to join in and help support their amazing work? A custom donation page is setup at www.kidsfirstcenter.net/lcso or can be found as a link at the bottom of the website. #CommittedToJusticeAndIntegrity #HonoredToServe #SwornToProtectPhotos from Lane County Sheriff's Office's post