New nonprofit supports firefighters in Chesterfield Township – The Voice

A new nonprofit organization called Friends of Chesterfield Local Fire Department supports the community’s firefighters. (Katelyn Larese – MediaNews Group)

A new nonprofit organization has been formed to support local firefighters.

The Friends of Chesterfield Local Fire Department received their 501c3 status in May and are already working toward their mission of supporting the township’s firefighters while strengthening community ties. The group will host its first fundraiser this summer and has no shortage of ideas for the future.

“We are very motivated, optimistic and full of energy,” said Mary Damm, founder of the organization. “We really feel like there are no limits to what we can achieve.”

Damm has worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Chesterfield Township Public Safety Department for nearly a decade. When the police dispatch center was recently renovated, staff were transferred to the fire department. That’s when the idea for the group came about.

“They were no longer just voices on the other end of a radio,” Damm said of the township’s firefighters. “Throughout our time there, they were extremely courteous, helpful and professional. They went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable. It was interesting to have the opportunity to personally experience their daily work and professionalism. I knew I wanted to do something to give back – to thank them and to highlight the great firefighters who work in Chesterfield Township.”

To this end, the organization plans to organize team-building activities for the firefighters to boost their morale and express their appreciation. The group also plans to celebrate and highlight their individual professional milestones and achievements.

“We also want to enrich the community,” said Damm. “We are working on setting up a reading program with the library where a firefighter comes and reads to the children. Then our group donates the book to the library.”

“We are also collecting fire blankets with the intention of distributing them to community members,” she added.

As a new organization, the group has worked to expand its presence in the community through social media and garner support from local businesses. The Friends of Chesterfield Local Fire Department Facebook group had nearly 300 members as of early July.

“So far, the feedback from the community has been really positive,” Damm said. “The feedback from the fire department has been extremely positive and encouraging. They have been so helpful and supportive. They are great.”

The nonprofit is hosting its first fundraiser, an ice cream supper called “Beat the Heat with the Chesterfield Township Fire Department,” on Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Brandenburg Park. Donations will be used for future community events as well as team-building events the group plans to sponsor for the fire department.

“It’s going to be a really fun day and a really important day for us,” Damm said. “The public’s support means so much to our group and to the Chesterfield Township firefighters.”

The fundraiser will include sundaes, popsicles, games and prizes for kids and more. A balloon popping raffle will allow supporters to pay $10 to pop a balloon containing either a cash prize or a gift card. There will also be gifts from friends.

“Most importantly, members of the Chesterfield Township Fire Department will be there with us and they have a really fun surprise planned,” Damm said. “We hope to see a lot of people there.”

The Balloon Pop Raffle collects gift certificates from businesses as donations. Participating businesses will be featured on a banner at the event and mentioned on social media. Business owners who would like to donate can message the group on social media.

“We hope that Beat the Heat will be a great success and would like to make it an annual event,” said Damm.

In the fall, the group will be present at the fire department’s annual open house and is working to offer T-shirts for sale.

“We have many ideas for future events and fundraisers, and some are already set: a trunk or treat, a shoe drive, a gift tree, a trivia night,” Damm said. “There have been so many great ideas like a pinewood derby, a playback contest, a game night, a jail and bail fundraiser, just to name a few.”

In addition, Damm hopes to sponsor the community’s Junior Public Safety Academy. When the summer academy wrapped up in late June, the group stopped by to hand out cookies and sponsored t-shirts for some of the participants.

The non-profit organization has a five-member board. A general meeting is scheduled to take place at the end of July or beginning of August.

Donations can be made at any time via PayPal and Venmo.

“The best way to support the group is to spread the word – bring a friend to an event, follow us on social media, like our posts, invite people to like/follow our social media pages,” Damm said. “If you can help us gain supporters, we would be very grateful.”

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