Left to right: AFMA Fire Chief Mark Burdick, Assistant Fire Chief Mary Dalton, South County/Sun Lakes Fire Board Director Diane Price, South County/Sun Lakes Fire Board Chairman Bill Becker, Foundation Board of Directors President Emeritus Richard Hawkes, Treasurer Jeanne Becker, Secretary Cheryl Ravenscroft, Vice President Frank Gould, board member Karen Jorgensen, and AFMA Fire Marshal Robert Olmstead pose in front of the firefighters’ Rehydration/Rehab Bus outside Station 231 at the check presentation event. (Photo by Brian Curry)
Jeanne Becker, Foundation Treasurer
The Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation has made an award of $6,000 to the Sun Lakes Firefighters Food Fund, which is used by the firefighters and EMS personnel at Stations 231 and 232 to help supplement the cost of food, which they pay for themselves, because there is no fire department stipend to pay for food while on duty. The award amount is being divided among the six shifts in both fire houses, so each shift gets $1,000 to help alleviate the cost of buying their food, which is prepared communally by each shift. The Foundation is proud to assist our firefighters and EMS personnel in this way.
AFMA Fire Chief Mark Burdick said, “On behalf of the men and women assigned to AFMA’s Sun Lakes fire houses, we express our sincere gratitude and thanks to the Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation for your generous donation. Your support for our firefighters and paramedics is truly appreciated, and the $6,000 donation is being directly allocated to the firefighters ($1,000 for each of the six shifts) to help supplement their healthy food budget. While we are ready to respond 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, good nutrition is essential, and this award will go a long way toward keeping our firefighters healthy and ready. We all give a big ‘thank you so much’ to the Foundation for this donation!”
The Foundation Board members were served lunch and then toured Fire Station 231 and were shown the mechanical and safety features of the fire equipment, and they learned more about AFMA’s mission and its fire and ambulance procedures.
The Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation has been established to enhance the quality of life for the older population in the East Valley, including Sun Lakes residents, in the areas of health, safety, education, and culture. The Foundation gives grants and awards to local nonprofits, service organizations, and clubs to enhance their work in all of our Sun Lakes communities. If you are part of an organization that needs financial support, to apply for a grant or an award, please go to slcommunityfoundation.com.