East Fork Professional Firefighters raise over $18,000 for local families, causes in 2017

MINDEN, Nev. – The East Fork Professional Firefighters Association raised over $18,350 for local families and cancer research in 2017.

“We are committed to this community and the issues it faces,” Paul Azevedo, president of EFPF said. “We are grateful for our own health and for a generous community who supports our efforts to improve the quality of lives for our folks who are struggling.”

Azevedo said the firefighters’ association raises funds all year long, throwing support behind causes important to association members.

“We all agreed to help the Almeida family this year, along with our annual fundraising efforts,” he said, referring to #TrentStrong, a group benefitting local teen Trent Almeida who is battling leukemia.

A breakdown of the association’s year-long efforts follows:

— March: $8,000 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Six firefighters, Chad Sheldrew, Troy Valenzuela, Torril Purvis, Kevin May, Matt Smith and Steve Fletcher, traveled to Seattle to race to the top of the Columbia Center in the Scott Firefighter Stair Climb, wearing full gear, climbing 69 flights of stairs, 1,131 steps and 788 feet of vertical elevation in all. Students from Pinion Hills Elementary School contributed more than $2,000 to the effort.

— March: $1,080 St. Baldrick’s Foundation shave-a-thon to benefit childhood cancer. Four association members, Sheldrew, Rylan McDougal, retired firefighter John Bellona, and Jake Ferriera, participated in the at Red’s Old 395 Grill in Carson City Friday, March 17, raising from community donations. Ferriera had graduated from the Carson City Regional Fire Academy the same day.

— July: $700 to #TrentStrong: Association members competed in Grillin’ & Chillin’, the annual Family Support Council of Douglas County fundraiser. The association place second in the grilling competition as well as collecting additional the funds for Almeida’s family.

— October: $4,500 to #TrentStrong. EFPF firefighters manned their annual Tanker Drop booth at Candy Dance donating all proceeds from their booth and additional money donated by event goers.

— November: $75 to the Douglas High School wrestling team for basic first aid supplies, upon request from the team.

— December: $500 for the KTVN Channel 2 Share Your Holiday event benefitting the Carson Valley Community Food Closet. Association members contributed the entire amount.

— December: $3,500 to Operation Warm to purchase 200 brand new, warm winter coats for children identified by the Douglas County School District and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada. EFPF partnered with local realtor, Ginger Easley of RE/MAX Realty Associates in Gardnerville to raise the funds. Coats have been ordered and will be distributed the week of Dec. 18.

— December: $500 planned donation to Holiday with a Hero, along with personnel who will attend the annual shopping day for kids.

“The way we see it is any money we raise will help, whether the money stays here for our kids, or goes towards finding a cure for cancer,” Azevedo said. “We thank our community partners and the generous citizens who have contributed to our work.”

In the Photos: Members of the East Fork Professional Firefighters Association and Ginger Easley, of RE/MAX Realty Associates in Gardnerville, partnered to raise enough money to purchase 200 brand new coats for Douglas County children to be delivered before Christmas. From left to right: Steve Koontz, firefighter/paramedic; Brian Trute, firefighter/paramedic and fundraising chair; Brian Nelson, captain/paramedic; Easley and Jeremy Chandler, engineer/EMT.

East Fork Professional Firefighters donated $75 for first aid supplies to the Douglas High School wrestling team.

East Fork Professional Firefighters Association members collected $4,500 for #TrentStrong, a group supporting local teen Trent Almeida who is battling leukemia.