The Wapello Police Department has spearheaded a benefit fund for a struggling community member. Businesswoman Shelly Singleton is a manager at the Wapello Casey’s General Store, helps run Just 2 Moms, a non profit resale store, and has donated her time and resources to help the Wapello community prosper. When Singleton was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor, the police department donated $500 for a benefit fund to help Singleton with medical expenses. Police Chief Brandon Marquardt tells KCII News why the department wanted to start a benefit fund for Singleton, “Personally, I’ve gone in there (Casey’s General Store) to get pizzas or drinks for training in uniform and take them to training. She immediately pulls a ticket and I can see as I’m walking out, she’s scanning her own card paying for the items herself. Plainly and simply we love her, our department loves her, we appreciate her. She would do anything for us, we’d do anything for her. The benefit fund and this idea is the absolute least thing we can do for her.”

Marquardt says over $12,000 has been donated in the first two weeks. Community members can contribute to this cause by sending donations to the State Bank of Wapello under the Shelly Singleton Benefit or Wapello Police Benefit. The donated funds will be sent to Singleton in early November.