Braveheart Chaplain Ministry has served Flathead County for a decade and it’s getting ready for its first dinner, dance and auction Friday, Nov. 9 at Canvas Church in Kalispell.

The event is meant to honor first-responders in the Flathead and to raise money to bring a second chaplain to the ministry.

“We’d love to bring another chaplain on,” Braveheart spokesman Tim Tepas said. “Drew (Buckner) is just so busy helping and responding to everything that goes on, we really need a second person. He is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Buckner moved to Flathead County with his wife Brenda in 2001. He pastored Harvest Baptist Church in Kalispell for seven years before leaving the church to become a full-time chaplain.

In 2005, he began volunteering as a chaplain for the Kalispell Fire Department. Three years later he expanded his ministry and began volunteering at the Kalispell Police Department. The ministry also works with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and the ALERT air ambulance service.

He has assisted fire, police and other first-responders as well as family members during their most difficult times, including accidents, crimes of violence, suicides and overdoses. Buckner even delivers death notifications.

In addition to responding to traumatic situations and providing emotional and logistical support to citizens in need, a chaplain to emergency-services personnel also provides support to first-responders in their daily duties. Because their vocation brings them face-to-face with crises, stress is a built-in part of a first responder’s vocation.

Tickets for the event are still available. It will feature formal attire, an upscale dinner, live music and dancing, as well as live and silent auctions.

“We’ve had good response from businesses buying tables, but we are hoping to sell more tickets to individuals,” Tepas said. “Attendees will even be able to dance with first-responders.”

The doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event cost $60 per person or $100 for couples. Tables of eight are also available.

Tickets are available by calling Ellen at 406-871-0183 or emailing ellenmarie.1977@yahoo.com. They are also available at http://braveheartministry.com/.

Volunteers are encouraged to call Sara at 707-287-4947.

Braveheart is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that is supported entirely by donations from individuals, churches and businesses.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.