Fire crew raises funds for cancer
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Cindy Marx, bottom left, program director for Community Cancer Services in Sandpoint, holds up a $220 check donated by Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS at MickDuff’s Beer Hall Wednesday from the crew’s “Movember” mustache party. From top left, Duffy Mahoney and Mickey Mahoney, co-owners of MickDuff’s; Dale Hopkins, Ron Stocking, Glen Cassidy and Zach Ukrich of Selkirk Fire; Dave Scherbarth of MickDuff’s; Cindy Marx, CCS program director; Bambi Lassen, CCS social worker; and Troy Badeaux of Selkirk Fire.
SANDPOINT — A local fire crew donated nearly $500 Wednesday to help fight cancer, following their 5th annual November mustache event.
A clean-shaven Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS crew on Nov. 1 grew their mustaches throughout "Movember," and on Dec. 1 threw a party at MickDuff's Beer Hall. During the party, they held contests for who had the best mustache and who had the creepiest mustache. MickDuff's gave $2.50 of each beer sold to the firefighters for their fundraising efforts.
“November is Movember … it’s all about prostate cancer awareness,” said Selkirk Lt. Glen Cassidy. “But instead of donating to the prostate cancer research, we decided that we will do an event but we want to donate locally.”
The goal was to give all of the money to Community Cancer Services, but with a former member of the Sandpoint fire department battling cancer, the crew decided to split the proceeds between CCS and the individual.
CCS was presented with a check for $220 Wednesday, and $240 went to the former fire department member. While Cassidy said they "didn't raise much," representatives from CCS were more than happy with the donation from the crew.
"We have so many different organizations that contribute small amounts throughout the year — it's wonderful," said Cindy Marx, program director for CCS. "And a lot of them start small and grow."
Bambi Lassen, a social worker with CCS, said it is also about the recognition of CCS by the fire crew and others in the community, as well as those at CCS.
"We can all come together and make a difference, so I think that's really important," Lassen said.
Cassidy said the goal of the Selkirk crew is to continue to grow the event in hopes of donating more to cancer research each year.
"Normally we barely make enough to cover the party, but this year with MickDuff's help we made a profit to donate," Cassidy said.