ThisWeek Community Newspapers Upper Arlington
March 17, 2011
Page A3
UA firefighters take the stairs faster than almost anyone else Cystic Fibrosis Foundation benefits from climb By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Teams from the Upper Arlington Division of Fire finished first and third among firefighter teams in the relay stair climb competition held March 5 in the 40-story Rhodes Office Tower in downtown Columbus. At the 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation “Climb for a CureBattle of the Badges,” four-person teams had to rush up ten flights of stairs in full gear. The first-place UAFD team, consisting of Rex Holman, Justin Farley, Mike Lenix, and Dave Wheeler, finished in a time of 4:05:49. Placing third was the team of Josh Moore, Bob Nichols, Alan Thompson and Mark Weade with a time of 4:47.68. Two teams of policemen were
A closer look The first-place UAFD team, consisting of Rex Holman, Justin Farley, Mike Lenix, and Dave Wheeler, finished in a time of 4:05:49. Placing third was the team of Josh Moore, Bob Nichols, Alan Thompson and Mark Weade with a time of 4:47.68.
a couple of seconds faster than the winning UAFD team, but they wore only T-shirts, shorts and their bulletproof vests. In comparison, the firefighters were loaded down with 60 pounds of firefighting gear and breathing from their air bottles as they ran. “In our friendly competition with them (the police), we like to point out the fact that we’re restricted a little more in terms of the stuff we’re carrying and wearing,” said UAFD spokesman Dan Kochensparger.
Since 2007, the UA fire division has competed and excelled in the relay stair climb, with several teams taking part each year. They also raise money to battle cystic fibrosis (an inherited chronic lung disease in children and young adults) with their entry fees and through pledges. One firefighter, Alan Thompson, raised $1,600 in pledges. “We have a friendly rivalry with some of the other departments and even amongst ourselves,” Thompson said. “We
know Ben won’t be there,” she said. “We’re losing a wealth of experience and institutional knowledge — but I think I can safely say that Ben’s influence will continue to be felt for a long time.” “Ben came to ThisWeek three months before me,” Cochran said. “Soon after I started, he explained his plan for improving the papers, and it’s a vision he has followed ever since and one that will continue. The success we’ve had at ThisWeek is a credit to Ben and his vision. He knew what it took to be a successful newspaper and led us there. “He is a leader, a mentor and, most importantly, a friend. He will be missed by our readers and our newsroom.” After graduating from the University of Florida, Cason took a job at The St. Petersburg Times, where he met his wife, Carol. Cason was news editor at The Washington Post during the Watergate scandal that eventually toppled President Richard Nixon.
He said the Watergate episode was one of the most interesting times in his career. As news editor of The Post during that era, he put together many of the paper’s historic front pages. Cason said working for newspapers that were family-owned has been important to him. “I feel fortunate to have worked for family-run operations almost my entire career — the Wolfe family in Columbus, the Graham family at The Washington Post and Nelson Poynter at The St. Petersburg Times,” Cason said. “Journalism is almost always better when it’s run by families who live in the communities than by faceless large newspaper chains.” Cason said he remains a proponent of community journalism. “I think community journalism is the future of journalism,” he said. The Casons are the parents of two sons:Alexander lives in Charlotte, N.C.; David, his wife, Julie, and their two sons live in Worthington.
had two teams compete this year, and we’re trying to beat each other. I wanted to be the first place team, and it was fun to razz each other.” Thompson, 41, said the firefighters are supposed to work out 90 minutes in the morning while they are on duty as long as there isn’t a fire. That helps keep them in shape, but Station 71 is only three stories high and not ideal for training. So in the month prior to the contest, the firefighters run the stairwells of the Motorists Insurance building in downtown Columbus during the weekends so they can be ready for the Rhodes Tower. “It really helps our cardiovascular health,” Thompson said of the training, which he said is especially important in a rescue situation.
CASON Continued from page A1 Ben’s high personal standards for quality, objective and, above all, accurate reporting,” he said. “No one checks more facts than Ben. Ben’s legacy will be that his brand of journalism will live on through our staff because Ben showed them the way as he coached, mentored and nurtured them. Ben leaves us in good hands.” Two of Cason’s first hires after he arrived at ThisWeek were Lee Cochran, now assistant managing editor and sports editor, and Sandy Wallace, news editor. “I came to ThisWeek from a small daily, and it took some time for me to get used to the different pace and schedule of weekly papers,” Wallace said. “But Ben’s vision for the papers was very clear. It was all about better reporting, better editing, better writing. For Ben, content is key, regardless of whether it’s in print or online. “It will be very strange to walk in the newsroom on March 21 and
From left, firefighter Justin Farley of the Upper Arlington Fire Department, his brother firefighter Josh Farley of the Marysville Fire Department and firefighter Rex Holman of the Upper Arlington Fire Department, watch a split-screen live feed of the Rhodes Tower stair-climb, via cameras on floors 10, 20, 30 and 40.
Plus, it’s fun to beat other firemen and police. “We get a chance to raise money and make a difference,” Thompson said. “Cystic fibrosis is a pretty rough disease. I happen to know a family that has
two kids with cystic fibrosis, and it puts a face on that disease to me, and it inspires me to raise money and train for it.” gbudzak@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekNews.com
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