Fundraiser at Fahrenheit

I just got back from Fahrenheit, a local bar on Granby St, where we just had a fundraiser for a co-worker of mine. Mike was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. He recently celebrated the birth of a child, and as expected had used much of his accrued leave. His condition has prevented him from returning to work and he was confronted with having to enter a leave without pay status. The chain of command authorized members of the department to donate any surplus sick leave to Mike to help him and his family. A total of approximately 680 hours were authorized to cover the rest of the year. Less than two days after the word was passed, people had donated close to 2800. One individual had given 180 hours.

On top of that, the fundraiser was organized to help defray any additional costs and ease any financial hardship for the family. It was impressive how well it was supported. The proprietors were incredibly generous, donating a percentage of sales, as well as 100% of cover charge and staff tips to the cause. Several other local businesses showed their support by donating items which were used as prizes in a silent auction. The highlight of the evening came when a bunch of the guys (including several supervisors) volunteered to have their heads shaved by the highest bidder. This garnered bids ranging from $30-$200+. All in all it was a fantastic evening. I am extremely proud to be associated with these people. The outpouring of support to help a brother in need is fantastic, and helps illustrate just how tightly knit the department is.

This particularly hits close to home. This coming November will mark the 1 year anniversary of the passing of a dear friend of mine. Matt Salerno died November 12, 2007 after a 17-, month long battle with brain cancer. He was 30 and left behind a wonderful family and a beautiful little girl named Macenzie. Cancer is a scourge that needs to be dealt with. In the meantime, please keep Mike, Matt and their families in your prayers.