Apr. 18—WATERTOWN — Jefferson County Sheriff Peter R. Barnett has announced that the New York State Sheriffs' Institute's annual Honorary Membership drive has begun across the state and that Honorary Membership invitations will be arriving in randomly selected mailboxes across the county over the next two weeks.

Sheriffs' Institute Honorary Membership dues help to support the institute's robust programming for youth and sheriffs' offices which include the Sheriffs' Summer Camp, crime victim services, annual scholarship program, and education, training, and awards programs for sheriffs' offices personnel.

"The Jefferson Sheriff's Office is proud to support the Sheriffs' Institute and the excellent work they do in supporting our youth and personnel," Sheriff Barnett said in a statement. "The incredible summer camp experience and educational and training opportunities provided by the Institute are invaluable assets to our county residents and sheriff's office. We encourage anyone who is interested to become an Honorary Member and help support these great programs."

The Sheriffs' Summer Camp is the Institute's flagship program located on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes area. Each summer, 840 economically challenged children from across the state participate under the direct guidance of sheriffs and sheriffs' office personnel who volunteer their time to help make the camp a success. The Sheriffs' summer camp provides an opportunity to bring children together with deputy sheriffs in a positive and meaningful environment. The week-long camp directly benefits local children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to participate in a summer camp experience.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office selects local children who benefit through the camp's summer recreation activities, which are designed to teach an understanding of, and respect for, laws and the men and women who enforce them. The strong camper to counselor ratio allows for individual attention with an emphasis on the development of self-esteem.

In addition to the Sheriffs' Summer Camp, the Sheriffs' Institute also provides an annual scholarship to each of New York State's Community College's Criminal Justice Programs. This scholarship program is designed to help attract the best and the brightest to the criminal justice vocation.

Honorary Memberships help fund the Sheriffs' Camp and other New York State Sheriffs' Institute programs. If you are an individual who would like to become an Honorary Member and did not receive a letter in the mail, please visit www.sheriffsinstitute.org.