23-05-2025
Postponed Columbia County Unity Fundraiser to happen Saturday at new location
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Postponed from its original date due to the threat of severe weather, the Columbia County Unity Fundraiser to benefit the families of Columbia County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brandon Sikes and Deputy Gavin White will be held this Saturday.
The event will be held at the Augusta Elks Lodge located at 205 Elkdom Court a few blocks from Westside High School.
Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
Food trucks and vendors will be present, as well as other activities, including a bounce house with a 60-foot obstacle course, a foam party, a visit from a favorite Disney princess, and tons of unique and antique vehicles, with a vehicle contest.
Entry into the car show is $10 per vehicle entry.
There will also be a silent auction with a RecTeq Grill, spa packages, a 12-foot utility trailer, Dewalt tool set, Guitar Pull tickets, gift cards, gift baskets and more.
All proceeds go to benefit the families of the deputies involved in the deadly shooting that claimed the life of one Columbia County deputy on Saturday, April 26th, and severely wounded another.
Columbia County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brandon Sikes was killed in the line of duty Saturday, April 26th, and another, Columbia County Sheriff's Office Deputy Gavin White, was critically wounded when a suspect opened fire on the two deputies along I-20 near Exit 194 at Belair Road.
It happened while three Columbia County Sheriff's Deputies, which included Deputies Sikes and White, were serving a Temporary Protective Order to Montgomery during a traffic stop. The suspect, James Blake Montgomery, allegedly opened fire on the three deputies with a 9mm AR Pistol after they turned to walk to their vehicles.
The other on-scene deputy has not received much attention, but he is credited with saving Deputy White's life.
Columbia County Sheriff`s Office Deputy Gavin White was critically wounded when the suspect opened fire on him and the other on-scene deputies. Deputy Andrew Brown, when he noticed that White had been shot and was not dead, dragged him past several law enforcement vehicles while still under fire from the suspect and got Deputy White into one of the county vehicles where Deputy Brown drove him through the gunfire in an effort to get him to a hospital.
According to Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Deputy White was released from the hospital Thursday, May 1st, and was returned home where he continued his recovery.
Deputy Sikes was laid to rest Monday, May 6th, following a public ceremony that saw Georgia Governor Brian Kemp attend.
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