Anyone getting sick of putting on all those fundraisers that never takes in much money from the event and a lot of time spent running the event? You might understand what I mean, Pancake suppers, Concerts, selling tickets, standing there with a boot in your hand asking for money etc. I know our Department is sick of doing the same thing all the time.
I received a news letter in my e-mail a few weeks back talking about a firefighter’s calendar for Volunteer Firefighters. My first thought is how many of our guys would even look good with their shirt off and that thought made me kind of sick, lol. But then I thought I better read this storey first and see how the hell a Volunteer Fire Department could even think of making a calendar and then sell it to the public for $20.00. I did check this out a few years ago on how to make a calendar for our Department. By the time I was done researching and getting prices, putting together and then printing the calendars it wasn't even worth all the work that would have to be done and the return would have been a minus instead of a plus.
Well I will say I am glad I took the time to read the news letter and not just press the delete button which I do when I think an idea is out in left field. After finishing the storey I decided to contact the Fire Within people to see what the angle was and why they would think Volunteer Fire Departments could make money selling calendars. I was then contacted by Chad Sartison who is the Chair and Project Coordinator of the Fire Within. This was a surprise to me when I was contacted by Chad because anytime I ever requested information about a fundraising idea I normally hear from someone in an office somewhere that gives a sales pitch which turns me off of the project right away. Chad was headed to Halifax at the time and said he would come to Sydney and meet with us and explain the Fire Within project to us. I am not someone to sit around and listen to just one person tell me about a project and how good it is because they will always make it sound better then it is no matter what. In the few weeks I had before Chad was to meet with us I did some research about the Fire With project on my own. I contacted Fire Departments in some of the other provinces that were involved with the project the past few years. I never told Chad about what I was doing and when we had our meeting and he was explaining the Fire Within to us and how other Departments did, I then explained to Chad that I had contacted Departments that he has worked with. I will say when you contact other Volunteer Fire Departments and ask questions they will always give you a helping hand. Every reply I received was 100% positive and Chad is right the Heroes in the Sky was the main thing other Departments talked about. Do what I did and go to the Fire Within Web Site and Google search the departments that have taken part in the calendars and ask them what they think and how they did in sales.
Take the time to check out the Fire Within Web Site and see for yourself what it is all about. Make sure you don’t hold back from contacting Chad to find out more about the program or you will miss out for the 2010 calendar.

I am going to try and upload the videos so you can see what it is all about.

Art Sutherland
Mira Road Vol. Fire Department

Here Below are the links to the videos which will help explain the Fire Within project.

Together As One

Why Get Involved

Heroes In The Sky

FDIC

How To Get Involved

Check the videos out and make contact with Chad or Jodi for more information.

Contacts

Chad Sartison

Jodi Neuman