Social distancing costs mount for fire companies forced to cancel fundraisers
Neither are purse bashes, cash bashes, drag queen bingos, burger sales or any of other typically crowded fundraisers that are the lifeblood of local fire departments, which struggle with finances even in good times.
Throw in the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing protocols, and it's downright frightening. Tens of thousands of dollars that fire departments expected to be coming in have evaporated.
"We needed help before," said
Raising money won't get any easier as months go by, said
"I think it's going to be hard towards the latter part of the year," he said.
Some firefighters have come up with novel ideas to salvage fundraisers or create online versions for an era when gatherings are limited in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Fire departments rely heavily on numerous fundraisers and drives in any given year to keep up with regular monthly expenses, including insurance, fuel and utilities.
Then come the extras -- unexpected truck maintenance, new vehicles and upgrades to buildings. Without the ability to seek help from the communities they serve, many fire departments are scrambling to make up mounting losses. Some get stipends from their municipalities, but they aren't enough to fund entire budgets.
Manley came up with a way to recoup some of those losses in late March -- raffles through Facebook Live. Supporters can send money electronically to the department, and then they are assigned a number or ticket. The person with the winning number gets a prize or cash.
"I kind of took it and ran with it," he said.
It was instantly popular. The first game sold out in 34 minutes, Manley said.
"It was overwhelming to begin with because we didn't expect that," he said. "I think it was a novel thing. I think they wanted to give back to the community."
It caught on for
But it's still barely making a dent. A July golf outing fundraiser is in limbo and the department needs to raise
Eight-year-old
"That was a nice surprise," Selfridge said.
Spaghetti and roast beef dinners firefighters have planned for later this year are in jeopardy, but for now they're doing OK on a
The event, typically held the second week of June, brings in about
"It's going to be either one way or the other," Lucia said.
Both
A proposal before state legislators would provide
"These firefighters are out there putting their lives on the line even during this pandemic," he said. "We have to do something to support them."
The funding is designed to replace monies departments can't raise. The measure passed the House last month and is awaiting action in the
Firefighters took eight boots to area businesses that are open. They're hoping to raise
Other departments have been dealt blows --
Since
"If there's an opportunity to give back to your community, definitely consider that," Manley said. "Support all of them if you can."
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