Royal Columbian Hospital and the Terry Fox Foundation are just two of the beneficiaries of the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society’s fundraising efforts.
The New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society holds a variety of fundraisers throughout the year to raise money to support local programs and organizations.
The annual tree chipping event – one of the group’s biggest fundraisers – is taking place on Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Canada Games Pool parking lot. The event includes a barbecue, entertainment, chipping (and recycling) of your Christmas tree (by donation) and tree-burning demonstrations.
“Hopefully we will have some tree-burning demonstrations, weather permitting. If we have a big crowd, we will do it,” said Glen Bailey, president of the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society. “The idea of lighting (on fire) them up is to show people who fast things burn.”
The demonstrations are meant to be interesting – and educational.
“They can feel how hot one or two trees get,” Bailey said. “It’s one of those fun demonstrations that hopefully lends itself to fire safety.”
Dr. Kathy Jones, organizer of the annual Terry Fox Run in New Westminster, said the charitable society donated $1,500 to the 2015 run, which was a “tremendous” contribution to the Terry Fox Foundation on behalf of local residents.
Just before Christmas, New Westminster firefighters played Santa for the kids in the pediatric ward at Royal Columbian Hospital. While they weren’t wearing red Santa suits, they were delivering lots of toys when they visited the hospital on Dec. 23.
“We have gone out and bought about $1,500 worth of toys,” Bailey said. “We have an Xbox 1 and a bunch of games.”
Other items delivered included toys and art supplies like crayons. The firefighters make an annual visit to the pediatric ward to help stock up the supplies for sick kids.
“It’s no fun to be in the hospital at the best of times,” he said of the Christmas visit. “We are trying to make it as nice as possible.”
