Welcome to our site! You may be asking yourself, “what is the Collier 100 Club?”
The mission of the Collier County 100 Club is to provide immediate financial assistance to the families of fallen police and emergency responders – those who serve in law enforcement, corrections, fire fighting, emergency medical (EMS) and any and all state or federal law enforcement personnel assigned to Collier County, Florida and all of Southwest Florida. The mission is based on a 24-hour turn-around for approval by the (Club) Board of Directors and disbursement of money to the officer or officer’s family who will be the recipients.
The original model for the Collier County One Hundred Club is borrowed from the Detroit 100 Club where, in 1951, a police officer was killed in the line of duty and the funeral expenses were not available.
A concerned citizen residing in Detroit drafted a letter and mailed it to 100 friends or business associates and raised money for the deceased officer’s family. The Detroit 100 Club remains the model for other clubs to emulate. There are today 122 “100 Clubs” or “Blue Coats Associations” that serve the protective services from coast to coast in the United States.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”https://collier100club.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/REL-100ClubOConnerBell-1280×1009-1024×807.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”on” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”img-border-s” /][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”10px|||”]100 Club board member Julian Stokes (left) and Club President Patrick O’Connor ring a ship’s bell in the Navy tradition of “8 bells” to honor fallen police and emergency responders.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]A Florida Highway Patrol Trooper was killed in the line of duty in Manatee County, Florida in the early 1980s.
The trooper’s commanding officer quickly realized the financial burden suddenly thrust upon the trooper’s family by his untimely death. The family didn’t even have enough money for a funeral.
The commander took it upon himself to travel across the Sunshine State to ask local police and emergency responders to form organizations or “clubs” that would have immediate funding for fallen law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty. Even though insurance money may become available as weeks and months pass, the real need is within the first twenty four hours following a death or serious accident.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]The commander took it upon himself to travel across the Sunshine State to ask local police and emergency responders to form organizations or “clubs” that would have immediate funding for fallen law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty. Even though insurance money may become available as weeks and months pass, the real need is within the first twenty four hours following a death or serious accident.
In 1983, the FHP commanding officer met with Collier County Sheriff Aubrey Rogers, Lt. Larry Vanston, CCSO, and Auxiliary Deputy Scott Salley, CCSO.
Sheriff Rogers was very interested in the concept and asked Lt. Vanston and Auxiliary Deputy Salley to organize a committee to establish the need for having a “club” to raise money for law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Since that beginning, Sheriffs Hunter and Rambosk; as well as the Fire Chiefs and EMS Chiefs have outwardly supported the 100 Club of Collier County.
Soon after its formation 100 Club organizers discovered other, long-established and active organizations in cities such as Detroit, Chicago, Columbus, OH, and Buffalo, NY – to name just a few. Information was gathered from several existing cities primarily located in the North East and Mid-West of the United States.
The Collier County pilot committee asked a handful of professionals and business leaders to join this newly formed “Collier County One Hundred Club” in 1984. Many of the original club members or “plank-owners” have passed but their insight, experience and enthusiasm left a solid platform for the Collier County One Hundred Club to grow in membership and become chartered in the State of Florida as a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt organization in 1994. The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo was the leader in the drive for a state charter and, later, in the significant growth of the club.
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