07/05/2024
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The Balfour Harrop Rescue Society raises funds for Marine Rescue 581 (the Rescue Boat) operated by volunteers from Balfour Harrop Fire Rescue. Here is an update on what has been happening with the Rescue Boat!
This year we have big changes on the Rescue Society board. Tremendous thanks to outgoing board members Cory Gigliotti, Dianna Ducs and Sharon Zeeman for their contributions over the past few years. Dianna was amazing at planning the duck races and re-inventing the format to continue through pandemic restrictions. Sharon was a ticket seller extraordinaire and Cory provided some valuable firefighter insight. This summer we are taking a break from the duck race to focus on some other fundraising projects. We appreciate the community's support of our fundraising to date, which has gotten us to where we are today: Our boat, equipment, training and ability to respond are all thanks to generous contributions from the community.
The Rescue Society is working on some different ways to raise the needed funds to cover ongoing training costs and personal protection equipment. We also need to purchase a radar system to make it safe to respond at night or in the fog. The next significant project will be a boat house so the rescue boat can stay in the water year-round. We have big start on that project thanks to a donation of nearly $2300 raised by Balfour Golf and Recreation during their "Swing into Spring" golf tournament a few weeks ago. We appreciate these types of events as the majority of our board are also firefighters. Attending weekly fire practice, emergency calls, and finding time to raise funds can be a challenge. If you have some ideas on how to help us we would love to hear from you.
Come and say hello to some of your Firefighters at Balfour Daze this year. On July 6th we will be bringing our "new to us" fire engine from the Balfour Fire Hall, a wildfire roof sprinkler system cooling station for kids, young and old, and a “Fill Our Boots” donation bin as we continue to raise money for our projects.
Now for some great news. Last year we were able to raise funds to purchase a new boat motor. This important upgrade replaces a 20-year-old motor and makes our response faster, safer, and more reliable. Thanks to:
-Columbia Basin Trust, which funded two-thirds of the cost;
-The Osprey Foundation, Morrison Family Trust for a generous $1000 donation; -Several private donations of $500 each;
-Jones Boys Marina and Mercury Motors for providing dealer and manufacturer discounts; -The sponsors who provided duck race prizes; -And to all of you who purchased duck race tickets or filled up donations jars last year.
Marine Rescue 581, with its brand-new motor, is in the water for the season. Expect to see the boat crew practicing regularly in the west arm and on the main lake. We hope to post some videos on social media over the next few months showing off the new motor and some rescue drills the boat team practices.
Lastly, although we have been fortunate to have some cooler temperatures and rain over the past few months, wildfire season is upon us. One means of fundraising for the Rescue Society is the sale of WASP Gutter Mounted Sprinkler Systems. At $229 we offer the same price as the big online retailers, but 100% of the profits go directly to supporting the Rescue Boat. You can purchase your sprinkler kits or donate to the rescue boat online at BHFR.CA
Thanks again for your continued support of the Rescue Society, Marine Rescue 581 and the volunteer firefighters operating it.
