Rifle raffle: Madison County Sheriff’s Office employees raising money for family in need

REXBURG — The Madison County Sheriff’s office is raising funds to help a local family in their time of need.

In April, Jessica Abbeglen, a Madison County dispatcher, and her husband Dalan found out he is in Stage 5 kidney failure. He’s been undergoing dialysis and waiting for a new kidney.

In August, the Abbeglens welcomed a baby, and they have been juggling a newborn and dialysis ever since.

“They are dealing with a serious medical situation and the hospital bills are mounting,” the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

Detective Adam Ferguson had won a custom Henry lever action .22 rifle at the department’s Christmas party. It didn’t take him long to decide it should go toward a good cause.

“I had been hearing about one of our dispatchers going through a hard time,” Ferguson told EastIdahoNews.com. He decided on his way home from the party that he’d like to use the rifle to help out.

He took the rifle to Sheriff Ball and proposed another raffle. That was the start of fundraising efforts. But something even more important has come out of the raffle.

“We’ve been contacted by several people willing to be tested (to donate a kidney),” Ferguson said.

The gun being raffled is one of 14 made for members of the Madison Sheriff’s Office. The department’s patch has been etched into the buttstock. “Serving since 1913” has been engraved on the forestock, and the Madison County Sheriff’s badge is engraved in gold on the receiver.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Madison County Clerk’s Office or at Madison Armory. The drawing will take place on Friday, Dec. 29. All the proceeds will go to the Abegglen family. The winner doesn’t need to be present to win.

For those who wish to donate directly to the family, an account has also been set up at Idaho Central Credit Union for Jessica Abbeglen, according to the Sheriff’s Office. It’s account #741079702.