Usually when you see firefighters on the roof of a building, it's because there's an emergency. That could be said next month when some of St. Albert's own spend three days atop fire station No. 2 in an effort to save lives.
The Muscular Dystrophy Campout campaign takes place Feb. 22 to 25. Dispatcher Kathi Sheedy is organizing this rooftop adventure and several other concurrent events as a way of helping out a local family doubly affected by the disease that wastes and weakens a person's muscles.
Sheedy was deeply touched when she met Nick and Benson Gatt, two young brothers who both have muscular dystrophy.
"We take for granted our children's health," she said. "After meeting Benson and Nick, I will do everything I can to fundraise for those boys!"
To that end she has put together a month-long campaign that starts this weekend with the MD Bootdrive at the Inglewood Safeway. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., shoppers can meet local firefighters and learn about the cause. A Valentine's basket will also be raffled off.
Next Wednesday, four firefighters will suit up and serve customers at East Side Mario's restaurant from 4:30 p.m. until closing time, with all tips being donated to Muscular Dystrophy Canada. A firefighter auction is also in the works.
This is the first time that St. Albert will participate in the rooftop campout, although Edmonton teams have been involved for several years. Sheedy said she's keen to make up for lost time by setting a fundraising goal of $15,000.
"We have really jumped on the bandwagon!" she said. "We really need to make this big."
To learn more about the disease or donate to the cause, visit www.muscle.ca.
Food bank on the soapbox
People need to eat but they also need to be clean. That's the message staff and students at St. Gabriel Storefront School are putting out with a new school initiative to collect soap for clients of the St. Albert Food Bank.
Food bank executive director Suzan Krecsy said that many people overlook the need for donated hygiene products.
"We have always been collecting non-food items like personal care and to wash clothes because it does take a chunk of your food budget."
In addition to getting these products in their hampers, clients can also use the shower facilities at the newly opened community village.
Krecsy ended by saying that her stock of hygiene supplies are at a low point right now.
