ST. CLOUD -- Earlier this month a founding member of the Tri-County Crime Stoppers retired from the board.

After 39 years, 84-year-old Rita Reker attended her final meeting at the St. Cloud Police Department on March 12th. Reker served as the first Vice President and second President before shifting to a fundraising role.

She is active on a few other boards as well and says while she’s ready to step down, it’s still bittersweet.

It's kind of sweet-sad.

The Tri-County chapter of the Crime Stoppers was started in 1981 with funding donated by Rita and her husband Fred Reker leftover from the reward fund set up during the search for their missing daughters Mary and Susan.

On average the organization receives around 300 tips from the community every year.

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