Six members of the Chatham-Kent Professional Firefighters Association are taking part in the New York City Memorial Stair Climb, and they hope to bring some local donations with them.
Jon Benoit, one of the local firefighters going to New York, said two local fundraisers are planned before they take part in the memorial stair climb on May 4.
The first is a “skate to donate” event, where people can come out to Thames Campus Arena on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“Bring whoever you want, come out for a free hour of skating and, if anyone would like to donate any money, it would be appreciated,” Benoit said.
On April 27, firefighters will be holding a boot drive at the Chatham Sobey’s store, beginning at 9 a.m.
Benoit said it will be a chance for people to talk with firefighters and see some of the gear they use on the job, as well as drop a cash donation into a boot if they like.
He said half the money raised locally will be donated to A Soldier’s Journey Home, which is where the funds from this year’s memorial stair climb will go to help build a house for a wounded veteran and his family.
He added the other half will be donated to Canadian Blood Services for stem-cell research in recognition of Chatham native Jocelyn McGlynn, 21, who recently received a stem-cell transplant as she battles leukemia.
Benoit said local firefighters have taken part in other 9/11 memorial events, but this is the first time a local contingent is going to be part of this event, which began in 2015.
More than 400 firefighters, police officers and EMTs ascend the 80 floors of 3 World Trade Centre overlooking Ground Zero during the memorial climb.
“It fills up quick,” Benoit said. “We all registered at 8 a.m. on the day it opened to secure our spots. Nine-eleven and everything that happened there is a pretty big thing in the firefighters’ community.”
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