Firefighters start raising money for winter

Taking advantage of the months before the holiday season, the Bloomington Local 586 Union of Professional Firefighters organized its fourth annual cookout fundraiser this weekend at the Bloomington Fire Department Headquarters.

Food sold throughout the weekend will fund Local 586’s annual “Shop with a Firefighter” event in December.

Local 586, along with the Monroe County Head Start program, organizes the philanthropic event during the wintertime to give families with children an opportunity to have a Christmas they otherwise couldn’t afford.

George Cornwell, secretary and treasurer of Local 586, said the total profit of the cookout varies from year to year, but it is still is a big contributor in funding the organization’s other events throughout the year.

Receiving families are given vouchers to shop at the Target on East Third Street to purchase food, clothes and other necessities they might need during the holiday season.

In addition to funding the event, Local 586 firefighters also volunteer by helping bag the items at Target.

During the weekend cookout, firefighters and local volunteers worked more than 20 hours preparing a variety of meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and a new fish fry.

Other events include the fire department’s annual “Fill the Boot” campaign of collecting donations for the International Association of Firefighters and a 9/11 Memorial Fund for a Public Service Memorial to be placed on the B-Line Trail.

“This is a big, big fundraiser for us,” Cornwell said. “What we make right here helps us take care of our ‘Shop with a Firefighter’ event.”

Although last year’s fundraiser was canceled because of inclement weather, this year’s cookout gave local residents the opportunity to eat and socialize as well as inform themselves about fire safety.

The Bloomington Fire Department Headquarters offered tours of its station and a fire truck and provided informational pamphlets containing fire-safety tips.

Firefighter Lee Chapman, a 27-year veteran of the Bloomington Fire Department, originally proposed the idea for the fundraiser.

Firefighter Fred Matthews said Chapman helps cook the majority of the food and plans many of the fire department’s events.

Matthews said participants also contributed by donating money for December’s event.
“Their Christmases are based on how much we get,” Matthews said. “That’s why we’re all here, and that’s where the money goes.”

Follow events and culture reporter Brett Frieman onTwitter at @brttfrmn.