08/16/2026
Old Drawyers Creek Longbeards auctioned a Heritage 357 Lever Action at our 2026 Banquet, custom engraved in trubute to Trooper Matthew Tyler Snook. Trooper Snook was lost in a senseless act of violence in December 2025. After some spirited bidding, the auction was closed with a winning bid by one of our generous sponsor members. While we were completely blown away by the winning bid, we were even more surprised as we were approached by another generous sponsor member asking if they could match the bid for a duplicate gun. That offer was then matched by another attendee seeking to secure a 3rd gun. Thanks to the generous support of these three members we were able to provide a $12,000 donation in Trooper Snook’s memory to the Delaware State Trooper Association Benevolent Fund, originally started after the loss of Trooper Stephen Ballard in 2017. The DSTA Benevolent Fund was established for the purpose of providing financial and other assistance to law enforcement officers and their families. The fund is used to assist and support active-duty law enforcement officers and their families in the event of a line-of-duty death or serious injury. The fund is also used to assist active law enforcement officers and their families who suffer from serious illness or injury while off duty.
