By Lethbridge Herald on February 20, 2024.
By Justin Seward
Lethbridge Herald
The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services (LFES) are teaming up for a special cause for the first time at Friday night’s game, as per an announcement at Fire Station No. 1 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Canes will showcase customized jerseys that are inspired by LFES’s bravery and resiliency and proceeds from the online auction of the jerseys will go to the charities that the Lethbridge Firefighters Charity Association supports.
The Association prides itself on the characteristics of the spirit of giving and community support through initiatives such as sponsoring local families during Christmas time to Blankets of Seniors program with those funds raised.
The funds will not only go to the community charities of choice but to the distressed firefighter members and their families.
“When you get hired with(the) Lethbridge Fire Department, it’s more of a family than just joining a team, and it gives us a chance to give back to our members as well as giving to the community on and off shift ,” said Carl Mix, vice president for charities and an LFES senior fire fighter.
The Charity Association has raised more than $400,000 since 2007.
“We’re really looking forward to meeting the people in our community who we proudly serve,” says Greg Adair, Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services Chief in a release. “Plus, cheering on the Hurricanes makes for a fantastic Friday night of family fun, especially for a cause that brings our community together and supports such a worthy charity.”
“I can attest to the fact of what they do on a daily basis,” said Tony Deys, Hurricanes game night coordinator.
“When you look at the plaques behind me and you see the paramedics and the amount of people that it takes to save one life, it really is mind-blowing. So when you see seven names and you see one life saved, that’s only a microcosm of what it takes and what these fine men and women do day in and day out. So for us to be able to help them … raise awareness and to maybe gets some good recruits to come out and continue the tradition that the men and women have started here, I think it’s the least we as an organization, a community-owned organization, can do.”
Deys was living proof of the work that EMS and fire do as he suffered cardiac arrest in 2019.
Game attendees will have the opportunity to climb around a fire truck, the first 1,000 kids through the door will receive replica fire helmets, the pipe and drum band will be leading the players and the anthem singer on to the ice.
The LFES Hurricanes jersey auction can be viewed at http://www.32auctions.com/Lethfire and the auction link will be live at 7 p.m. on Friday and end at 7 p.m. on March 1.
Donations to the LFCA can be made at lethbridgefirefighters.com.
The game will be played between the Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday night at the Enmax Centre.
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