SCHEELS HOMETOWN HERO – LEONARD LUFT
Leonard Luft was in the military for 12 years with multiple deployments. He has been a law enforcement officer with Charles City Police Department for 22 years and counting. Over the years, Lenny has saved countless lives, helped thousands of people, and sacrificed an immeasurable amount of family time for his community. The community has certainly been there for the Luft’s as well…
In 2017, Lenny and Wendy’s 15 year old son Logan tragically was killed in a ATV accident. Both were called to the scene and were able to be there with Logan in his final hours. After experiencing such a traumatic event and working through grief, Lenny came up with a way to help find the silver lining in the darkness.
Coincidently, 3 months prior to Logan’s accident, he inquired with his mom and dad about what being a organ donor meant as he was asked this question on a drivers permit. It was discussed around the family table and Logan decided to be an organ donor. A short 3 months later, that decision would come to reality all too soon, however…it made a big difference.
Logan’s organs were donated which ended up saving the lives of 5 individuals. This gave a new found hope to Lenny knowing that his son was living on through others and making a difference. Lenny decided to take it a step further in honor of his son.
Lenny heard of a law in a neighboring state which allows youth to choose to be an organ donor when you get your hunter safety certificate. Iowa did not have this yet…With Logan’s passion for the outdoors and his decision to be an organ donor, LOGAN’S LAW was created.
Lenny worked with local friends and family to sign a law into IOWA legislation which would allow kids to sign up to be an organ donar when they get their hunter safety certificates instead of waiting till driving age. In 2019, the Iowa DNR and the Luft family with the help of the Iowa Donor Network unanimously passed LOGAN’s LAW.
Since, thousands of youth in Iowa have signed up to be an organ donor.
In honor of Logan Luft, Scheels in Cedar Falls has made a $500 donation to the Iowa Donor Network and are beyond proud to call Lenny Luft the next Scheels Hometown Hero!