ONTARIO – Ontario Fire and Rescue’s biggest fundraiser is Saturday, March 1, at the Four Rivers Cultural Center.
The 45th Annual Firefighters Benefit kicks off at 6 p.m. and runs until midnight.
Hosted by the Ontario Volunteer Fire Association, proceeds help pay for volunteer training, equipment and temporary shelter for residents displaced from fires.
Captain Jared Gammage said the benefit is the lone fundraiser for the association. In recent years, money from the benefit allowed the department to buy significant equipment that has aided in helping crews fight fires, Gammage said.
“We try to use as many of the funds as we can every year to pay back to the community,” he said.
Gammage also said money goes to the department’s “burnout fund.” The fund helps people with for shelter, food, and clothing in the immediate aftermath of a fire.
Gammage said the association has a budget independent of the fire department. He noted that nearly 20 volunteer firefighters help the department.
“They don’t get paid anything,” he said. “But they are a huge support for our department.”
Event tickets are $20 each and $40 per couple, including dinner. The event will have a Hawaiian theme, a no-host bar, a poker tournament and a silent auction. Those attending must be over 21.
Limited tickets are available at the door of the cultural center, located at 676 S.W. 5th Ave, in Ontario, or can be purchased at the fire department at 444 S.W. 4th St. For more information, call 541-881-3233.
News tip? Send your information to Steven Mitchell at [email protected].
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