About the Foundation
A partnership built for every corner of Lane County.
Founded in 2026 by Richard Smith, Richie Powell, and Guy Higashi, the SERVE Foundation is organized to support the Lane County Sheriff's Office and the communities it serves.
Our Mission
To strengthen the partnership between the Lane County Sheriff's Office and the communities of Lane County by raising and directing resources that supplement, and do not replace, public funding; by educating residents on matters of public safety; and by advocating for the Sheriff's Office on issues vital to community well-being.
Our Vision
A Lane County in which every community — from the most rural to the most populous — benefits from a well-equipped, well-trained, and well-supported Sheriff's Office, sustained by an engaged and informed citizenry.
Our Partner Agency
The Lane County Sheriff's Office
Led by Sheriff Carl Wilkerson, LCSO serves more than 4,700 square miles — from the McKenzie River corridor to the southern Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast. The SERVE Foundation exists to stand alongside its deputies and the communities they protect.
Programmatic Areas
Three ways we work.
Training & Equipment
Contributions fund specific training opportunities and equipment needs identified by the Sheriff's Office that fall outside the agency's operational budget.
Public Safety Initiatives
Education on traffic safety, crime prevention, emergency preparedness, and Sheriff's Office programs — plus community infrastructure like lockdown hardware for rural schools.
Advocacy
A network of informed community members prepared to advocate, within the bounds of law, for the Sheriff's Office and the public safety of Lane County.
Core Values
What guides our work.
Service
We exist to serve the communities of Lane County and the deputies who protect them. Every decision is measured against whether it advances the safety and well-being of those served.
Integrity
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct. Donor funds are stewarded with care and accounted for openly.
Partnership
We work in close coordination with the Sheriff's Office while preserving the independence necessary to function as an independent organization. We supplement — we never replace.
Stewardship
We commit to specificity. Contributors know exactly what their gifts purchase and what difference those purchases make.
Inclusion
Junction City, Eugene, Springfield, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Marcola, Oakridge, and the rural areas between them are equally our concern.
Civic Engagement
Public safety is strengthened when residents are informed, engaged, and empowered to participate in the civic decisions that shape their communities.
Founding Board
Geographic representation across Lane County.
The founding board balances community members with those who have direct ties to the Sheriff's Office, drawn deliberately from across the county.
Santa Clara
Richard Smith (Founding Chair), Richie Powell
Junction City
Matt Hogan, Justin Else, Laura Else
Eugene
Guy Higashi
Coburg
David Kammerer
Creswell
Becky Harold
Creswell / Cottage Grove
TJ Kelly
Marcola
Kevin Woodworth
Oakridge
Richard and Deena Wolf
Legal Counsel
J. Perry
Tax Status
We supplement public funding. We never replace it.
We are in the process of gaining our tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service and have been assured by our legal specialist that we can expect to gain our 501(c)(3) status retroactive to the date of incorporation. You may take a tax deduction for your contribution to the full extent allowed by law. We will notify you if the IRS does not grant us retroactive tax-exempt status.
The Foundation operates as an independent organization, separate and distinct from the Lane County Sheriff's Office and Lane County government. Its activities are intended to enhance — not supplant — the lawful funding obligations of Lane County to its Sheriff's Office.