|
|
A little bit about us...
The Windsor Professional Firefighters originally established the Firefighters’ Benefit Fund in 1921. In the early years, its purpose was to help firefighters who had fallen on hard times due to illness, injury or financial difficulties. Fellow firefighters would organize fundraisers, donate what they could to assist their brothers and sisters in times of need.
Now fast-forward to the present and you will find the Benefit Fund helping others as well as their own members. The Fund is made up of fire department volunteers who each have their own tasks and responsibilities. They meet monthly, and communicate weekly and or daily, deciding on how each request should be dealt with. These members also liaise with the public and organizations, to make sure that the assistance they need is accomplished and successful. Also in addition to organizing fundraising events, the members attend other functions to show the Firefighters support. The focus has expanded over time to include helping those within our local community; the community in which we work and live. This is accomplished through fundraising events such as Bar BQ’s, bingo sessions and generous donations from the public, fire department staff and the private sector. As of 2023 The Windsor Firefighters Benefit Fund was granted status as a registered charity designated by the CRA.
Three of the Benefit Funds’ biggest events are the “Buck for Luck”, “The Chilifest” and Sparky’s Toy Drive. This program has a long time tradition of helping to provide local needy families with new toys for their 13 and under aged children at Christmas. All families requesting assistance are required to register in mid-November with appropriate documentation to show financial need. We count on the generosity of the businesses and citizens of Essex County to keep this program operating. New toys are donated at the City of Windsor fire halls and at various commercial locations that have generously agreed to place donation boxes at their places of business. We assure you, all monetary donations are one hundred percent utilized for toy drive purchases.
The mission of our program is to make a real difference for struggling families in our community. We have made a concerted effort to help the “working poor”. These are families that are struggling to pay their living expenses and don’t often have much left over for the little extras so many of us take for granted. We also provide toys to a very large group of new immigrants and refugees, many of whom are experiencing their first Christmas in Canada.
Sparky’s Toy Drive is run entirely by volunteers and continues to operate by the generosity of the people of Windsor and Essex County. The fire department team is currently headed byJosh Easby, Cody Long, Bob Bailey, and Jordan Tellier. Many other Windsor firefighters (both current and retired) work multiple hours picking up toys and assisting businesses with charity events that help Sparky meet his quota. On the registering, packing/sorting and distribution side, our team is led by the Lalonde and McAgy family, and a team of many volunteers.
Now fast-forward to the present and you will find the Benefit Fund helping others as well as their own members. The Fund is made up of fire department volunteers who each have their own tasks and responsibilities. They meet monthly, and communicate weekly and or daily, deciding on how each request should be dealt with. These members also liaise with the public and organizations, to make sure that the assistance they need is accomplished and successful. Also in addition to organizing fundraising events, the members attend other functions to show the Firefighters support. The focus has expanded over time to include helping those within our local community; the community in which we work and live. This is accomplished through fundraising events such as Bar BQ’s, bingo sessions and generous donations from the public, fire department staff and the private sector. As of 2023 The Windsor Firefighters Benefit Fund was granted status as a registered charity designated by the CRA.
Three of the Benefit Funds’ biggest events are the “Buck for Luck”, “The Chilifest” and Sparky’s Toy Drive. This program has a long time tradition of helping to provide local needy families with new toys for their 13 and under aged children at Christmas. All families requesting assistance are required to register in mid-November with appropriate documentation to show financial need. We count on the generosity of the businesses and citizens of Essex County to keep this program operating. New toys are donated at the City of Windsor fire halls and at various commercial locations that have generously agreed to place donation boxes at their places of business. We assure you, all monetary donations are one hundred percent utilized for toy drive purchases.
The mission of our program is to make a real difference for struggling families in our community. We have made a concerted effort to help the “working poor”. These are families that are struggling to pay their living expenses and don’t often have much left over for the little extras so many of us take for granted. We also provide toys to a very large group of new immigrants and refugees, many of whom are experiencing their first Christmas in Canada.
Sparky’s Toy Drive is run entirely by volunteers and continues to operate by the generosity of the people of Windsor and Essex County. The fire department team is currently headed byJosh Easby, Cody Long, Bob Bailey, and Jordan Tellier. Many other Windsor firefighters (both current and retired) work multiple hours picking up toys and assisting businesses with charity events that help Sparky meet his quota. On the registering, packing/sorting and distribution side, our team is led by the Lalonde and McAgy family, and a team of many volunteers.
Together, we are extremely proud to be the personnel that currently make up Sparky’s Toy Drive. We are motivated by the gratitude of the families in need as well as our motto of “giving back to our community”.
We appreciate your interest in the Sparky's Toy Drive!
We appreciate your interest in the Sparky's Toy Drive!
|
|
