COMMUNITY
Gabe Alvarez, Matt Wood and Nade Galligan are members of the Daisy Mountain Honor Guard, who opened the ceremony. (Photo by Caryn Massey Creations)
Igniting Change Daisy Mountain Firefighters transform lives, thanks to fundraiser By Megan Marples
A
fter getting off long shift at 8 a.m., firefighter Jon Binsbacher doesn’t think twice before donating his time to Daisy Mountain Firefighters Charities. Binsbacher has been a firefighter for 15 years and is the charity’s president. When he’s not saving lives, he focuses on the charity, which helps firefighters and community members in need. “I like giving back to the community and making a positive impact in other people’s lives,” Binsbacher says. Originally, firefighters passed around a hat for donations at the station when they heard someone was in need of help. “That just wasn’t working that well,” Binsbacher says. “We figured if we started this nonprofit, we could just help people.” To start the charity, Binsbacher says the
10
85085 | MAY 2019
money had to come directly from the firefighters. Each employee could opt in to have a portion of their paycheck automatically deducted and donated. The charity receives a high volume of requests, so Binsbacher says he and his coworkers created a nine-member board who votes on each case to decide who receives funding. Each person in need typically receives about $500. “There are a lot people and a lot of needs in this world and in the communities that we serve, and we have to draw the line somewhere,” Binsbacher says. In addition to receiving funds within the fi refighting family, Daisy Mountain Firefighters Charities also raises money in the community. Its largest event of the year is August’s Ignite the Night, an awards dinner and celebration. The date has yet to be finalized, and the event still needs raffle items. “It’s a good opportunity for us to mingle with the public and for them to get a peek behind the curtain of what we’re all about,”
Daisy Mountain Firefighters Charities can be reached at dmffcb@gmail.com or by visiting firefighterscharities.org. Binsbacher says. The fundraisers have been a success. The first year, they had to beg people to come, but after nine years, more than 500 people attend. The event evolved from an awards banquet to a fundraiser. “One of the biggest draws is the parody music video,” Binsbacher says. “They’re meant to lighten up the night.” He’s referring to firefighter Brent Fenton’s humorous videos related to his occupation. Fenton also produces testimonial videos so the community can see how the charity has positively impacted lives. One of the testimonial videos featured Tyler Hallsey, who was a 15-year-old living with a brain tumor. Binsbacher said he was paralyzed and couldn’t walk upstairs to his room. “For (Hallsey’s) 15th birthday, all he wanted was to go upstairs to his bedroom,” Binsbacher says. That year, fi refighters came over to his