West Kelowna firefighters are often visible as they work throughout the community, but they’re hoping locals will see them every day next year.
Last week, the West Kelowna Professional Firefighters Association hosted the official sales launch of their 2014 charitable calendar.
Thanks to local business sponsors, 100 per cent of proceeds from sales of the $10 calendars will go toward the West Kelowna Firefighters Charitable Society.
The society supports many charities such as the Westbank Boys and Girls Club, West Kelowna Community Food Bank, Muscular Dystrophy Canada and the British Columbia Professional Firefighters Burn Fund.
The majority of calendar sales will go toward West Kelowna’s goal of raising $25,000 to help fund a new Burn Fund Centre.
“Earlier this year B.C. Burn Fund came to us…and asked if we could pledge some money toward a new building that’s going down on the coast,” said Mike Kay, West Kelowna Firefighters Burn Fund representative.
“We, of course, all decided that we would go for that. We have all pledged a dollar a day from our own personal bank accounts, along with fundraising, until we reach the $25,000.”
The money will go toward a new facility in Vancouver that will not only house burn survivors, but also their families.
Some firefighter calendars have been known to show workers wearing only parts of their uniforms; however, the pictures in West Kelowna’s version are of a more professional nature.
“We went with a calendar that was us doing our job; we had a photographer follow us around throughout our day,” said Kay.
The 2014 West Kelowna firefighters’ calendar can be purchased for $10 at Fire Station 31 (3651 Old Okanagan Hwy.), Fire Station 32 (2708 Olalla Rd.), West Kelowna Municipal Hall (2760 Cameron Rd.) and several other businesses throughout West Kelowna.
wpaterson@kelownacapnews.com
Twitter: @PatersonWade
