NONPROFIT
He organized the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the Firefighters Burned Children’s Fund (FFBCF). There are 30 chapters in North Carolina. Surf City’s covers Pender, Onslow and New Hanover counties. “We’ve had burn victims in all three counties,” VanPelt says. “It happens more than people think. We’ve dealt with several people who have been burned in different ways, in our own area and in New Hanover and Pender. The main ones we normally see are fire-related, but we also had a gentleman whose lawn mower exploded. We’ve seen fire, electrical burns, scalding water burns…” One thing to know about the Burned Children’s Fund: It isn’t just for children. “It can be anyone, age 0 to over 99,” VanPelt says. A burn victim is anyone who suffers a burn injury. Many burn injuries merit a trip to the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill. The FFBCF throughout North Carolina supports both burn centers in North Carolina, the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill and the Wake Forest Baptist Health Burn Center in Winston Salem. Each chapter is 100 percent volunteer staffed, and anyone can volunteer. One hundred percent of the money raised goes not only toward the
expenses of survivors and their families, but also toward ways to spread fire-safety education, such as printed pamphlets. “We can help families who go to Chapel Hill with things like with gas, hotels, food, all the small things people may not think about,” he says. “We try to ease some of the burden on the families. Like if someone were
traveling back and forth from Pender County every day, we can help with the burden of that family that’s going through a hard time.” The FFBCF raises money through everything from recycling aluminum cans and Tupperware parties to asking for donations outside Walmart and Publix to holding a silent auction at the Moose Lodge. They partner with area businesses for donations. Surf City Walmart has given two $1,000 grants to the program. The Coastal Carolina Chapter also has a textsupported donation platform (text
FFBCFCCC to 24365). Any amount is accepted and can be put to use. “We don’t really have a set budget,” VanPelt says. “Whatever we raise gets donated right back to the cause.” This year, gatherings such as auctions or holiday-themed fundraisers are on hold because of COVID-19. “We don’t have any events planned, because we don’t know what the turnout will be,” he says. “But we can still go stand in front of Walmart.” Funds raised by FFBCF help support Camp Celebrate, where pediatric burn survivors can be kids. For free. The camp, started by the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center in 1982, offers a place where children can swim, ride horses, go canoeing, fish, play games and enjoy other camp fun. Volunteer counselors make this camp possible, providing a safe place for kids to be themselves without feeling embarrassed by their scars. VanPelt has volunteered as a camp counselor. “It was definitely life-changing, meeting so many children and seeing what they’ve gone through,” he says. “And some of them have gone through horrific things, and they’re still enjoying themselves and still playing. Some of our problems don’t seem so bad, when you see what these kids are doing. It’s just a way to try to get them out and have them around fellow
“ One hundred percent of the money raised goes not only toward the expenses of survivors and their families, but also toward ways to spread fire-safety education.
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Topsail Magazine