What do Joe Arpaio and Billy Bob Thorton have in common? Not much – if anything at all – but it is a good gimmick to serve a good cause. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff, he is set to do something that only actor Billy Bob Thornton has done in recent memory and that is make the word “sling” popular in headlines around the nation.
“Sling Blade” won numerous awards, including for its star Thornton, after the movie’s release. Now, Arpaio is hoping award his autographed medical sling, the highest bidder in auction for abused animals.
The Sheriff broke his arm on February 28th of this year. “I was attacked by a sidewalk,” said the Arizona lawman about the incident that kicked-off the painful ordeal that landed him in the hospital for two days. Arpaio’s recovery included wearing the sling for nearly three months. The gray-and-black medical sling is now for up for bid on Ebay, having been donated by Arpaio to the Sheriff’s Office non-profit posse organization.
The Sheriff’s jail that houses cats, dogs and other distressed animals rescued from crime locations will benefit from all the proceeds raised by the winning bid. MASH, or, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Animal Safe House, operates in the county’s closed First Avenue Jail where female inmates from nearby Estrella Jail care for hundreds of the formerly abused and neglected animals kept in the airconditioned cell blocks. MASH is a no-kill shelter and its lovable occupants are adopted to interested members of the community. Arpaio started the MASH Unit because of his great concern for animals.
The sling will be offered for 7 days and can be found at Ebay as “Sheriff Joe Arpaio Arm Sling”. The offering will include 5 autographed photos of Arpaio wearing the sling and the sling itself will be personally autographed to the winner.