SUDBURY, ON- Firefighters know what it’s like to brave, and they want the children of northeastern Ontario to feel like heroes too. Through funds collected from the 2017 Sudbury Firefighters calendar, the Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters Association (SPFFA) has donated $25,000 to NEO Kids Foundation.
Four years ago, The Sudbury Professional Firefighter’s Association established a Benevolent Fund which has since been overseen by an elected chair, Hugh Duncan a member of the Greater Sudbury Firefighter team. The purpose of this committee has been to partner with local charitable foundations and design initiatives that raise funds for those charities.
“The Sudbury Professional Firefighter’s Association felt that NEO Kids Foundation would be an excellent fit for the main charitable focus of the 2017 Firefighter’s Calendar, which is run through our SPFFA’s Benevolent Fund,” said Kris Volpel, SPFFA president. “We set a goal to raise $25,000 from our charity calendar. We are very pleased to announce that we have met our goal and have made our official cheque presentation of $25,000 to NEO Kids.”
“Just like our local firefighters, our NEO Kids are brave,” added Patricia Mills. “Our firefighters are taking a stand in the fight for our smallest and most vulnerable patients across northeastern Ontario. Thank you for being incredible role models for our youth and for firefighters across Ontario.”
The Sudbury Firefighters calendar was a year in the making with many generous community members contributing to the calendar to ensure that 100% of the proceeds were donated to the SPFFA Benevolent Fund. The majority of the proceeds are being donated NEO Kids Foundation and the additional funds will be used for other community initiatives.
“We are incredibly grateful for this generous donation from the SPFFA,” said Patricia Mills, NEO Kids Foundation president. “We would like to thank the Sudbury firefighters that participated in the calendar as well as those that volunteered in other ways, Michael Blinn of Pixatron Photography, Hugh Duncan the organizer of the calendar and benevolent fund chair and everyone who supported by purchasing a calendar.”
This donation will be used to help fund current and future services for NEO Kids at Health Sciences North helping to purchase vital pieces of equipment and conduct life-saving research. This donation will also help our community in achieving our ultimate goal of building a bigger home to accommodate the growing needs for the children in Northeastern Ontario.
