Record rooftop year for firefighters

By Mo Cranker on March 5, 2018.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker

It was a cold weekend for two local firefighters, as the men spent 48 hours on top of the Maple Avenue Fire Station while raising approximately $18,000 for muscular dystrophy.

This year’s Firefighters Rooftop Campout for Muscular Dystrophy raised a record amount, while also pushing the total amount raised over an eight-year span past the $100,000 mark.

“It was a great weekend for us,” said firefighter Dave Kowalchuk, one of the men sleeping on top of the station. “It’s great for us to see so much community support over the 48 hours we’re up there. It’s just great to see so many different people stop by and drop $5 or $10 into the boot.”

Kowalchuk and his partner B.J Lang were equipped with a couple tents, a radio, blankets and a lot of time to wave to people passing by the station over the weekend. What the men didn’t have this weekend was large dump of snow, something both men say they are thankful for.

“I know the guys doing this in Airdrie had their tent knocked over, so I’m happy that didn’t happen to us,” said Kowalchuk. “B.J and I joked Friday about the snow maybe passing us, just maybe we’ll get lucky, you know? And we did get lucky. Saturday night into Sunday was pretty cold, but the snow did miss us.”

“It’s been a bit cold today (Sunday), but the other days we got some great weather and that got a lot of people out I think,” said Lang. “We had a nice heater in our tent, and our tent was inside another tent, so we did a good job of staying warm.”

Lang says supporting muscular dystrophy means something different to everyone involved.

“I know I grew up and it was something that I saw my dad supporting,” he said. “We all know it’s a great cause, and we’re all happy to support it and volunteer our time.

“I know a lot of the guys give their time every year to stand outside and wave the flag, and just help out — it’s important to all of us.”

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