Red Cross honors volunteer firefighters for Heroes fundraiser

Chapter officials estimate at least $3,000 raised for Red Cross operations
April 25, 2009 - 10:18 PM
David Anderson
Staff writer

Volunteer firefighters who are used to doing their jobs with little fanfare stepped into the local spotlight Saturday evening.

The Lenoir County chapter of the American Red Cross honored the county's firefighters at King's Restaurant as part of its annual Heroes fundraising campaign.

Red Cross board member Rita Spence, who organized the dinner with fellow board member Linda Sutton, estimated ticket sales plus sponsorships from local individuals and businesses, drawings and raffles, brought in at least $3,000.

"In this economy, I think we did really well, but it's more about recognizing our volunteer fire departments as heroes of our community than raising money," Spence said.

Firefighters from La Grange, Pink Hill, Grifton and other Lenoir County companies attended the dinner along with their families, local elected leaders and emergency officials.

"You don't know how thankful we are to have you men and women in this county," Lenoir County Emergency Services director Roger Dail said. "We surely mean that."

Dail and other speakers thanked the fire personnel for doing a deadly job every day, sacrificing time with their loved ones, for no pay.

County Sheriff's Detective Ryan Dawson, who is still recovering from wounds sustained during a recent shootout that left his partner Detective Rickie Pearson dead, thanked the volunteer firefighters for attending Pearson's funeral and for their support in other nightly incidents.

"Please continue to do what you do, and thank you for the commitment and brotherhood that you show us," Dawson said.

The Red Cross, which is scraping for funds in the current economy, supports firefighters when called to the scene with food, water and medical care, and cares for the immediate needs of families who lost their homes to fires.

"Two of the greatest things in our county are the volunteer firefighters and the Red Cross," said state Rep. Van Braxton, D-Lenoir.



David Anderson can be reached at (252) 559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.