Vernon S & R Wins UTV Contest; Thanks Community

There is some celebrating going on at Vernon Search and Rescue.

The volunteer group has officially been notified of winning the “First Responders Shout Out”  contest for a new KIOTI Mechron UTV, worth $20,000 US.

Manager Leigh Pearson says Vernon S and R received over five-thousand votes through social media, beating the next closest group in Cleveland North Carolina by 350 votes.

“On the Friday afternoon about 1 o’ clock, we were 800 votes behind, and we kind of thought we were done, and the community just got behind us and away we went, and it was awesome,” Pearson tells Kiss FM.

Pearson isn’t sure when they will actually get the machine, but he says once they do, they will be able to use it for transporting equipment and personnel into search areas and other applications.

“It’s just going to be a really useful machine.”

Pearson says he’s heard there is one of the units at the local dealer, but he’s not sure if they will get that one or have to wait for another one.

He says Vernon’s win was officially posted on Kioti’s Facebook page today.