If anyone thought NFL players were looking funny on the field on Sunday, October 3rd with hot pink gloves and shoes then you should see these guys! Decked out in their hottest pink apparrel, the Valparaiso Firefighters Local 1124 was supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month in style! "They all look good in pink," laughed Debbie Rosenbaum, Administrative Assistant to the Valpo Fire Chief. The biggest part of their support besides the pink shirts is the fact that they're promoting a fundraiser for the Porter County Breast Cancer Society. Every night at Chili's in Valparaiso from Monday, October 4th to Wednesday, October 6th, ten percent of each person's bill will be donated towards the society as long as they present a voucher either from ValpoLife.com or the fire station. "We support the ambulance service with helping people that are sick and hopefully this will prevent people from being sick," said Jeff Walsworth, Captain of the Valpo Fire Department.
"My mother-in-law passed away from breast cancer, (my wife's) grandmother passed away from breast cancer, she had three aunts that died from breast cancer," explained Mark Maze, Engineer of the Valpo Fire Department. "So it's one of those things that I'm very aware of and my family, I'm worried about all the time."
As Maze was finishing, a fellow firefighter, Brian Watson, spoke up from behind him and said that his mother just got diagnosed with the ailment and is going through radiation every day. "It hits everybody in one shape or form," he said. "It's nice to see that the department is allowing us to do this little thing to keep people in front of their mind, 'Hey, maybe someday we'll find a cure," said Maze.
The Valpo Fire Department supports other community efforts as well like MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), local food drives, and Rebuilding Together. "When people see us holding out a boot or asking for their help in certain fundraisers, I think that they think that it's coming back to us, but it's all being redistributed to local charities and it's all for good causes," explained Watson. So, not only are these boys pink, but they're also golden.
For more information about the fundraiser and to download the flyer in order for 10% of your Chili's order, excluding tax, to be donated to the Porter County Breast Cancer Society, click here.
(From L to R): Brandon Verkler, Teresa McCleary, Jeff Walsworth, Scott Stafford, and Jack Bryan.
(From L to R): Clint Gorball, Brian Watson, Mark Maze, Scott Furto, and Mark Bottorf.
Debbie Rosenbaum.