Scott Zienkiewicz, a Sargent with the Star Valley Search & Rescue, stepped into the SVI Radio studio on Wednesday, March 28 to share his experience with the S&R and promote the ongoing raffle fundraiser benefiting both Star Valley and Lincoln County S&R units.  The winner of the raffle, presented by the Fishing Dog Foundation, receives a VIP trip for two to the 2026 Kentucky Derby, with 100% of proceeds going to search and rescue. Click here to learn more and to enter the raffle.

(0:00) Heading into our second guest interview of the day today (0:03) and a Sergeant with the Star Valley Search and Rescue, (0:06) that’s Scott Zinkiewicz in studio this morning. (0:09) Hey, Scott, appreciate your time coming in. (0:11) Today as we promote this Kentucky Derby giveaway (0:14) that’s benefiting the Star Valley (0:15) and Lincoln County Search and Rescues.

(0:17) But wanna learn more about the Search and Rescue today. (0:20) So first off, just tell us how you got involved (0:24) with the Star Valley Search and Rescue specifically. (0:27) Sure, first of all, thanks for having me, I appreciate it.

(0:30) Well, I’m new to the Valley. (0:31) I’ve moved here about three years ago (0:34) and been coming out here for quite a bit. (0:36) And knew one of the things I wanna do (0:38) is get into helping the community when I got out here.

(0:41) I was in law enforcement for 30 years, (0:45) just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, (0:46) a small area called, well, not small, (0:48) but it’s a town called Greenfield. (0:50) In fact, (0:50) I was guessing Great Lakes area, (0:52) just with our quick interaction here, yeah. (0:55) And it’s kind of funny, (0:56) because just a little note, (0:57) my assistant chief goes, (0:59) do you realize that you’re moving to a state (1:00) that has less people than the county that you work in? (1:03) And I go, yes, that’s why I’m moving there.

(1:07) But coming out here, (1:09) I saw that I wanted to be part of the community. (1:11) And on top of some other things (1:13) that my wife and I have gotten involved with, (1:16) I wanted to join Search and Rescue. (1:17) I was asking questions even before I moved out here.

(1:22) And even doing some things, (1:23) I have some Avalanche certification. (1:25) I’m actually an instructor (1:26) for Avalanche awareness and things like that. (1:30) But once I moved out here, (1:31) I got involved with Search and Rescue (1:34) and really enjoyed that aspect of it.

(1:37) After retiring from law enforcement, (1:38) I felt that that filled the gap that I needed. (1:41) Excellent, all right. (1:41) And you said you even have some horsemanship background.

(1:44) Is that correct? (1:45) No horsemanship, just all motorized. (1:48) Oh, okay, gotcha, gotcha. (1:50) Avalanche, UTV, hiking, things like that.

(1:53) No, I don’t have any horse background, (1:54) so that’s kind of been a wake up moving into the valley (1:57) where everybody knows horses. (1:58) Yeah, no, it’s all good. (2:00) So since joining the Search and Rescue, (2:03) you’ve had a chance to kind of rub shoulders (2:05) with the other members of the group (2:06) and also kind of work with them hand in hand (2:09) on some of these calls.

(2:11) And what’s the experience been like for you so far (2:13) to be part of that group? (2:15) It’s an amazing, amazing experience. (2:16) Amazing bunch of guys. (2:18) I’ve said it many times to people on the unit (2:20) that there’s guys on there that’ll forget more (2:22) about the back country than I’ll learn.

(2:24) Just a great bunch of guys. (2:26) And, you know, river and all the type of dynamics (2:29) that the back country entails. (2:32) It’s been a great learning experience.

(2:34) We’ve been, I’ve been going through (2:36) a lot of different trainings, (2:37) like high angle rescue, swift water. (2:42) The unit’s really good about sending people (2:43) to those type of trainings. (2:45) There’s a lot of first aid.

(2:47) It’s been really an eye opener. (2:49) I’m used to the first responder portion of it, (2:52) but not the back country part of it. (2:55) Yeah, and you talk about the trainings (2:57) that the search and rescues go through.

(2:59) Being an all volunteer group, (3:02) the search and rescues in Lincoln County on both ends, (3:05) I mean, these are as good as emergency response crews (3:09) can be across the nation. (3:11) And it’s an all volunteer group. (3:13) So maybe speak to that and the professionalism (3:15) of a volunteer group like you guys are.

(3:19) Yeah, absolutely. (3:20) I mean, I came from a professional organization. (3:22) I mean, we were a city of 40,000 people (3:26) that we had a lot of different call.

(3:29) I mean, the amount of calls that I went to (3:31) and the things that I saw in my career were a lot. (3:36) And coming here and watching a volunteer organization (3:39) come together and do these rescues is very impressive. (3:43) Everybody has full-time jobs and families (3:46) and to put up the time and do the training (3:50) and be a cohesive group has been pretty amazing to see.

(3:54) Scott Zinkewitsch in studio this morning. (3:56) He’s a Sergeant with the Starbody Search and Rescue. (3:57) So as we continue with this Kentucky Derby giveaway, (4:01) which just to remind our listeners (4:02) is a VIP experience for two and a complete VIP experience.

(4:08) We’re talking four days, three night accommodations, (4:11) breakfast, hat design and shopping opportunity, (4:15) local Kentucky horse farm tour, round trip airfare, (4:20) two reserved first floor clubhouse tickets (4:23) to the Kentucky Derby. (4:25) I mean, this is the full VIP experience (4:28) and all the proceeds from every raffle ticket sold (4:32) is going directly to the Starbody Search and Rescue (4:34) and the Lincoln County Search and Rescue (4:36) to help buy new equipment, specifically pickup trucks (4:39) that are fully outfitted to help with these rescues. (4:41) And so as we talk about raising funds, doing it this way, (4:44) I mean, who doesn’t wanna go experience (4:46) this incredible Kentucky Derby opportunity? (4:49) But as a community member who maybe isn’t as aware (4:54) or involved with the Search and Rescue (4:56) as someone like you as a member would be, (4:58) why should they be willing to support (5:00) and pull out their wallet for a few bucks to do this? (5:05) Well, and first off, I do wanna say (5:06) that we do have a lot of community members (5:07) and business owners that do give to the unit (5:10) and we appreciate that.

(5:12) But the Fishing Dog Foundation has stepped up (5:14) to help us with some needed equipment. (5:17) And I guess one of the things I wanna point out is, (5:20) we have equipment in two different areas of the valley (5:22) and we have equipment up in Alpine (5:23) as well as down here in Afton. (5:25) The response zone that we have is quite large.

(5:29) I mean, you’re talking our response time (5:31) to different areas in the valley. (5:33) So the equipment that we need is, (5:36) we need a lot of trucks, different trailers, (5:38) snowmobiles, UTVs, the jet boat, (5:41) everything that we have needs to be maintained, (5:44) needs to be upkept. (5:45) And it’s very important that we get this equipment.

(5:49) Absolutely, and as we talked about (5:52) with Sheriff Johnson last week, (5:55) when you see the Search and Rescue go out, (5:58) you can kind of take a little pride in saying, (6:00) hey, I helped with that. (6:02) Even though I’m not the one going out, (6:04) as a community, we can say, (6:06) well, I helped get that equipment, right? (6:07) Oh, absolutely, and to be part of the community (6:12) and getting involved with this stuff, (6:15) the support that we have is actually fantastic. (6:18) But with any type of first responder, (6:21) until you actually call for us, (6:22) some people just don’t realize what we do.

(6:25) And I do understand that, (6:26) but with a smaller community like this, (6:29) I think it’s a lot more involved than what I’m used to. (6:31) So it’s been a great response to this. (6:33) Scott Zinkiewicz with the Star Valley Search and Rescue.

(6:35) If you’d like to buy some raffle tickets (6:37) to try and win this VIP experience to the Kentucky Derby, (6:40) you can find the flyer with Fishing Dog Foundation (6:43) on their social media pages. (6:44) It’s scattered around Star Valley, (6:46) as well with some flyers. (6:48) You can also go to the events page of svinews.com (6:51) and fishingdogfoundation.org, fishingdogfoundation.org. (6:56) They’re the ones hosting the raffle, (6:57) putting it all together.

(6:58) And again, 100% of the proceeds (7:00) go towards the Star Valley (7:01) and Lincoln County Search and Rescues (7:03) for these new trucks that are needed and fully outfitted. (7:06) And again, you could win a trip to two, (7:08) the full VIP experience to the Kentucky Derby. (7:11) Scott, appreciate what you do (7:12) and coming into our community (7:14) and making an impact like you have.

(7:16) I guess anything else you’d like to mention (7:18) about being part of the Search and Rescue (7:19) while we have you in studio? (7:21) I guess one thing I’d leave with (7:23) is the fact that if you’re going out in the back country, (7:25) make sure you are with someone, (7:27) someone knows where you’re at. (7:28) And remember that we are a volunteer organization. (7:31) We will rush to get to you as fast as we can, (7:33) but there is some time delay.

(7:34) You’re gonna be out there for a while before you get there. (7:36) No doubt. (7:37) That’s Scott Zinkiewicz this morning (7:38) with the Star Valley Search and Rescue.

(7:40) And again, visit fishingdogfoundation.org (7:42) for the details on the Kentucky Derby giveaway, (7:46) fishingdogfoundation.org. (7:47) It’s the weekday wake up on the SVI Radio Network.