Ladder 21 raises local firefighters to the roof of Canadian Tire for their weekend ‘CampOut’

Prince George, BC – With a cold wind blowing and a few snowflakes swirling, supporters cheered on five members of Prince George Firefighters Local 1372 as they climbed Ladder 21 to the rooftop of Canadian Tire yesterday afternoon to begin what they hope will become an annual event – a 48-hour camp out fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy.

Shane Lapierre, Mike Stachoski, Jeremy Kostyshyn, Clayton Sheen, and Wayne Weis began their ‘winter camping adventure’ at 12-noon and will remain atop Canadian Tire until 12-noon tomorrow when they come down for a celebratory BBQ.  Their goal is to raise awareness and dollars for the numerous neuromuscular disorders that are grouped into MD.

The group received a ‘Snack Attack’ basket of goodies from local MLA, Shirley Bond.  In thanking them for their efforts, the Justice Minister said, "It’s showing that not only do they serve the public everyday, but that they go, literally, above and beyond." (click on photo for video clip of opening ceremonies)

"The fortitude of our firefighters to voluntarily spend 48-hours camped out on the roof of this building in the – well, close to the end of winter – is very admirable," said PG Fire Rescue Chief John Lane.  "But even more so is the bravery and determination the people who are affected with this terrible disease show as they carry out their daily lives."

Past President of the Northern BC Chapter of Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Susan Andrist, thanked the firefighters for ‘helping us make muscles move’.

Andrist told the crowd on-hand, "I was just a little girl when firefighters brought my very first wheelchair and they were my heroes then and they’re my heroes today – and without them there wouldn’t be the research and equipment and things that help us."

For the past 50-years, firefighters across the country have held ‘Boot Drives’ to raise funds to support research into neuromuscular disorders that are characterized by progressive weakness and wasting of voluntary muscles that control body movement.  In 2005, a group of Edmonton Firefighters kicked it into ‘overdrive’ with the first winter rooftop camp-out, and Local 1372 is latest group to take its fundraising efforts to new heights.