Randy Cheek

Well folks, the numbers are in and it’s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to this year’s Kansas City Guns N’ Hoses event.

The annual event features area first responders boxing for charity; the money raised goes to the families of police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, medics and others killed in the line of duty.

I’ll give you the good news first: The event raised around $105,000 for the families, said Mandy McNeil, office manager for the Kansas City Crime Commission. That’s up from $68,000 the year before.

In addition, one local philanthropist offered the charity a check for $57,000, raising the grand total to $162,000 for the year, McNeil said.

“This was a big year,” she said. “It’s nice to see the community come through since we got hit so hard this year.”

In all, about 1,600 people attended the event, which was held Friday night at the Kansas City Convention Center Grand Ballroom.

Okay, now for the less-than-pleasant news: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Randy Cheek, who boxed in the event, lost his bout.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kristen Dymacek said Cheek’s fight, which was against an Olathe firefighter, was evenly matched. Ultimately, however, the judges agreed that the firefighter won.

Regardless, the sheriff’s office “is proud of Lt. Cheek for representing the agency so well during the charity event,” Dymacek said.

Heading into the event, Cheek told me his goal was simply to compete. He had been training for the match since July, losing 25 pounds in the process and (hopefully) showing the other deputies that even at 59 years of age, it’s still possible to get out there and tear it up.

Win or lose, Cheek told me he’s just happy to play a part in a charity event that’s so near and dear to his heart.

Whatever the outcome of his fight may have been, I saw Cheek in the gym and came to the conclusion that he’s not somebody I’d want to tangle with.

I report on crime and courts for the Journal-World. I can be reached by email at cswanson@ljworld.com, by phone at (785) 832-7284 or on Twitter @Conrad_Swanson.