Alnwick/Haldimand Township Fire Department Association Top Fundraiser in Canada for Movember

Pete Fisher
4 years ago
• Categories: Editor Choice, Local

Video of Polar Bear Plunge

(9) Firefighter Movember Polar Plunge November 29, 2020 – YouTube

Alnwick/Haldimand Township Fire Department Association is number one in Canada for fundraising for the Movember campaign.

The Movember campaign is a movement to raise funds for men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate and testicular cancer.

Men grow moustache’s to help fundraise for the annual event.

Over 150 Canadian fire departments take on the challenge to see who can raise the most money for the charity.

As of Saturday, November 28, 2020 Alnwick/Haldimand Township Fire Department Association beat out all the other departments including Toronto Fire Department in raising the most money.

(The Toronto team had 68 members compared to Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Association’s 26)

Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Mark Mitro said it was “mind blowing” to beat a department the size of Toronto.

Mitro also made a friendly challenge with Northumberland County Fire Departments trying to raise the most money.

Since Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Association was the winner, they got to choose which Northumberland County Fire Department they wanted to see go for a dip in Lake Ontario on Sunday.

Even though Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Association won the challenge, Mitro wanted it known that, “we were able to put our skin in the game” and the firefighters went for a swim on Sunday off Wicklow Harbour with the water temperature a cool six degrees Celsius.

With COVID-19 regulations the departments couldn’t get together, and on Sunday each had their own Polar Bear Dip.

Hamilton Township Fire Department brought out a port-a-pond that is commonly used for house fires and filled it up with water before getting wet.

Cramahe Township Fire Department went for a dip in Little Lake and Brighton Township Fire Department went for a swim in Lake Ontario.

“It’s great to have everyone come together as a County.”

The entire event was in honour of Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department firefighter Kyle Jeremy who is in remission from testicular cancer.

“We all fell behind him and wanted to blow it up (the challenge) for something big to be part of his story.”

Before the swim, Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Association President Jason Holzmann and Mitro presented Jeremy with a carved wooden plaque.

The plaque was crafted and donated by local Alnwick/Haldimand Township woodworker Darren O’Rourke.

O’Rourke said when he heard about Jeremy’s story he wanted to show him the community was supporting him in his fight.

After the presentation the group of firefighter’s lined up along the shore of Lake Ontario at Wicklow wearing their Saxx underwear and ran into the bone chilling water.

Most of the men and women firefighters didn’t stay in the water for very long, but firefighters Jason Whitelaw and Nathan Taylor almost seemed to enjoy swimming around.

“Movember presents itself as men’s health, but we definitely have some female firefighters that were some of our top fundraisers.”

Mitro said with the support of firefighters and the community in Northumberland County, they’ve raised over $75,000 for the month of Movember with donations still coming in.

The numbers as it stood on Saturday evening when the contest ended for Northumberland County were as follows:
Alnwick/Haldimand Fire Department Association’s $31,490

Hamilton Township Fire Department Association $29,785

Cramahe Township Fire Department Association $5,781

Brighton Township Fire Department Association $4,986

Port Hope Fire Department Association $1,840

Cobourg Fire Department Association $1,815