By Tyler Marr

Camped out for a cause

Sep 2, 2017 | 2:57 PM

Firefighters are known to frequent high places, but they were doing so for a much different reason Friday night.

Numerous members of the Prince Albert Fire Department were perched atop Canadian Tire armed with lawn chairs and a tent, all in an effort to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Canada. 

It was the department’s second annual rooftop camp out. Throughout the day, members with rubber boots stood outside the entryway to the store in an effort to collect funds for the charity. 

“Muscular Dystrophy is a national charity for firefighters across Canada and North America, so for us to be able to put in the time and donate money to our charity, for the firefighters, it is very special to us,” Chris Bourdon, president of the Prince Albert Firefighters Association said. The department has helped raise awareness and funds for Muscular Dystrophy since the 1970s.

Last year, the department camped overnight on the fire hall, but wanting a bit more exposure, asked Malcolm Jenkins if they could use his facility. Agreeing, the department later presented him with a custom fire helmet to thank him for his ongoing support of the department.

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Muscular Dystrophy is a neuromuscular disorder and there are 160 different disorders associated with the disease. MD Canada works to help those affected purchase equipment and enroll in programs and services.

As the organization does not receive any government backing, assistance from fundraising efforts such as the camp out is critical to their success, according to Bard Yanciw who works as a revenue development coordinator for the Saskatchewan branch.

“We even have some smaller volunteer fire halls with the province that do that they can, they are already a volunteer fire department and then they volunteer to raise money for us which for me is pretty fantastic,” she said.

Currently, MD Canada’s main focus is the transition of many of their clients from paediatric patients to adult.

“Once they become adults they lose their medical team, but our current focus is to help those adults find a new medical team and navigate the adult medical system,” Yanciw said.

In 2016, the event raised just over $9,000 and the department was aiming to bring in $15,000 this year.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr