Local firefighters are gearing up to brave the elements as they camp out on top of Fire Station #2 at 5839 67th St. to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Four Red Deer firefighters will head up on the roof starting at noon on March 28th and descend at noon on March 31st. The goal is to raise $15,000.
Funds raised will be used to improve the quality of life for people living with neuromuscular disorders by purchasing mobility equipment, providing support services and funding research.
Red Deer firefighter Dan Henschel will be participating in the fundraiser. “We encourage people to come out when we’re there and make a donation. We’ll have a boot that we’ll throw down off the roof if people want to make a donation and then we’ll haul it up,” he said.
There will also be two boot drives that will take place to allow Red Deerians to make a curbside donation from noon until 3 p.m. on March 28th and March 29th in front of the fire station on 67th St.
“We encourage people to come out and support our group. We are volunteering our time and trying to raise awareness for a really great charity,” said Henschel. “If we blow our goal out of the water, even better.”
Firefighters have been big supporters of raising awareness and funding research for muscular dystrophy since the 1950s. That support began after a family who was affected by muscular dystrophy needed some equipment and went to their local fire station in the United States. The family asked if the firefighters could help raise some money to get the equipment they needed.
The fire station held a boot drive and they made enough money to get the medical equipment the family needed. A few years later the International Association of Firefighters adopted muscular dystrophy as their charity of choice.
Meanwhile, Henschel added he is looking forward to the fundraising event.
“I think the four of us are pretty optimistic that we’re going to have some nice weather and hopefully it will be relaxing sitting up there for four days.”
For more information, including a link to donate online, check out ‘Red Deer Firefighters’ on facebook.
efawcett@reddeerexpress.com
