The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Charity Begins at the Fire House --or it should in a perfect world.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
-I Corinthians
There are hundreds upon hundreds of charities out there competing for your time, attention, energy, and your cash. I know I get solicited by every imaginable cause out there; some I donate to, others I "back burner" because I'm committed elsewhere, some I just shake my head at ("Save the Donkeys in the Holy Land" is my newest source of fodder for amusement) and toss their mailer in the circular file.
There is one charity that gets 90% of my time, talents and hard-earned cash; The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org). I serve on my local chapter's (Upstate NY/VT) Board of Trustees, I've run three half marathons for their Team in Training program (www.teamintraining.org), which, by the way, you don't have to be particularly athletic to participate in. I should know, if lounging on the couch and eating ginormous bowls of popcorn were an Olympic event, I'd be a gold medalist. I am also serving as the Committee Chair for the third annual "Taste of Compassion" wine-tasting fundraiser (hey, just because it's for a serious cause doesn't mean it can't be fun. That doesn't make me a bad girl. :))
So why LLS vs. any other charity out there? My close friend since high school is a single mother of four, and has been in remission for several years now from leukemia, but that doesn't mean that she's cured. It could come back at any time, and as long as the search for a cure continues, she continues to be at risk for relapse.
Once I became involved, and was educated about what LLS does for patients and their families, and I experienced first-hand the dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of the staff and volunteers, I knew that this was where I needed to help.
When I started running in Team and Training's half marathons (and I'm doing my fourth one in June) my two "honored patients" ( the local patients that you have the opportunity to meet and who also serve as inspiration when the running gets tough) were both fighting the good fight. Their fight is now over. Tanner passed away right before his 2nd birthday, and Aidan passed right after his 8th birthday. I now run in their memory, and for Ruth's continued fight, and that gives me all the inspiration I need when I'm facing Heartbreak Hill at mile 12 in 90 degree heat. It's astonishing what you can accomplish when you're doing it for someone else and for all the right reasons.
So what's the point of this blog? I'm throwing the gauntlet down to all emergency services workers and challenging them to get involved in a charitable effort. I know that for many of you, volunteering for a fire department or EMS squad on top of work and family commitments takes an enormous amount of your time, but don't you think you could find a spare hour here and there and give just a little bit more?
I work full-time, and I'm just starting my journey with my local fire department, but I think it's too important that I give that something extra to the charity of MY choice. Sure my life is hectic, but in my mind, it's a good hectic. My need to express my enthusiasm and passion has found two positive outlets, and that's worth its weight in gold. I'm not the only one on here who works hard for a charity, check out Sean Crotty's page for info on his Kids Escaping Drugs Firefighter Ski Challenge fundraiser. Tiger Schmittendorf is immersed in Hancock Hope and is always looking for help there, and it's a very worthwhile cause--and these guys are pretty damned busy in their professional and personal lives on top of that. But they find the time to do it, because it matters.
Find something that matters to you, and get up off the couch, put down the popcorn, and get involved.
Add a Comment
-
Comment by Dave, NB 9 on January 15, 2008 at 2:45pm
-
Sean, Thanks for the kind words. Hello all. This is a great blog. The Leukemia Society is and always will be near and dear to my hear as will Camp Good Days & Special Times. My daughter was diagnosed with A.L.L. at the age of 3 years. She is going to be 16 this year and is doing well, but every cough or pain sends chills down my spine. We had 10 years of hell, which like Sean said, I stepped down as a line officer and took care of my family. During that time, I also was a Board member on the Western New York chapter of the Leukemia Society. Little do people know just how much charitable organizations help people like myself and family. Brianna was also a Christmas card designer for Roswell Park Cancer institute and has had people run, walk and ride a bike for her in the "Team in Training", from as far away as Colorado. I would just like to thank anyone, who helps out any organization. THANK YOU!
-
Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on January 6, 2008 at 10:43pm
-
Hey; even with all of my dietary changes, one thing that hasn't changed is my love of popcorn. Light butter, though.
I am humbled by those who take an advocacy role. And yes; they are the heroes.
Art
-
Comment by Mick Mayers on January 6, 2008 at 9:41pm
-
The only problem with writing a comment vs. blogging or in the forums, is that you can't edit. Sorry about the typos.
-
-
As usual, good stuff. I ran for TNT before (Myrtle Beach Marathon) in honor of my cousin Kelly and one of our firefighters, Matt, who both died of leukemia. Kelly was only 5. I think Team in Training is an excellent program and the support I got really did help me remain inspired.
My middle daughter, Caroline, has Down syndrome and my wife and I were inspired by her to form a non-profit advocacy group, Caroline & Friends (check it out at www.carolinenfriends.com) to help families with a DS member in educating them on their rights, on educational and therapeutical opportunities, and just being there when you get that call that your child has an extra chromosome.
I hope some of the people on the Nation take a good look at what you are saying and realize that good deeds aren't limited to rolling up and down the roads on alarm activations and heroes aren't always draggins someone out of a building. The other day when you posted about becoming a firefighter, you didn't realize it I guess, but you were already a hero for doing what you've been doing (you know, that wine thing and all). So I guess if you become a firefighter it'll just be icing on the cake. Which, if you haven't tried it, is really good with popcorn.
-
-
Mel:
Thanks for the blog. I have a fondness for two organizations, I would guess due to personal exposures to them. I hope that doesn't sound selfish. I also donate to I don't know how many others, but Salvation Army, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Rally For The Cure, United Way of the Quad Cities, just to name a few.
The two that I am personally involved in and where most of my time goes is the Arthritis Foundation and Multiple Sclerosis. I help raise money for juvenile arthritis research and am involved on a personal level with a dear friend that is afflicted with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I got involved through educating myself about this terrible neurological disease. I will do a blog in the near future about our firefighter, Matt Olson, who found out two years ago that he had it and what has happened since. Believe it or not, it has made me a better person.
Art
-
Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on January 6, 2008 at 12:09am
-
as a fellow junkie, I think I know better. ;)
I think that sometimes it's good to stop, take a look outside the turtle shell and see what's going on in the community outside of your immediate interests.
-
Comment by Tiger Schmittendorf on January 6, 2008 at 12:03am
-
Don't you dare tell me to put down the popcorn. NEVER!
Despite that, good blog. It reminds us all that someone else is ALWAYS having a worse day than we are.
That's our call to action.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
You need to be a member of My Firefighter Nation to add comments!
Join My Firefighter Nation