Iowa State Trooper Ted Benda had just welcomed his fourth daughter into the world before an accident killed him last October.On Saturday, his wife and the couple’s four children were the recipients of the annual Hamilton County Peace Officers Association benefit golf tournament. “My youngest was three weeks old when Ted passed, so we have a long life without him,” said Holly Benda, the surviving spouse. “And to have benefits like this means everything.”The event generally raises more than $20,000 for the family selected to be that year’s beneficiary. The event also honored Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith, who was fatally shot last year. The two families brought together by those tragedies have formed a bond. “We went to Washington, D.C. together,” Benda said. “We’ve done numerous events together.” At the auction following the golf event, two flags that flew over the U.S. Capitol in honor of both men were up for bids.The benefit supports a different family of a fallen peace officer, firefighter or military member each year. Click below to watch Andrew Mollenbeck report on the Iowa Amputee Golf Tournament:
Iowa State Trooper Ted Benda had just welcomed his fourth daughter into the world before an accident killed him last October.
On Saturday, his wife and the couple’s four children were the recipients of the annual Hamilton County Peace Officers Association benefit golf tournament.
“My youngest was three weeks old when Ted passed, so we have a long life without him,” said Holly Benda, the surviving spouse. “And to have benefits like this means everything.”
The event generally raises more than $20,000 for the family selected to be that year’s beneficiary.
The event also honored Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith, who was fatally shot last year. The two families brought together by those tragedies have formed a bond.
“We went to Washington, D.C. together,” Benda said. “We’ve done numerous events together.”
At the auction following the golf event, two flags that flew over the U.S. Capitol in honor of both men were up for bids.
The benefit supports a different family of a fallen peace officer, firefighter or military member each year.
Click below to watch Andrew Mollenbeck report on the Iowa Amputee Golf Tournament:
