Four Airdrie firefighters are bundling up and pitching their tent on the rooftop of Boston Pizza to raise awareness and support for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
Muscular Dystrophy is a group of neuromuscular disorders that causes weakness and wasting of the muscles that control body movement.
Those affected could lose the ability to walk, speak and even breathe as the disorder progresses and there is currently no cure.
The three day charity drive started on Thursday at noon and is the second year for the Airdrie firefighters.
“We have four great campers that are going to be going on the roof for 72 hours. They’re going to be sacrificing their bodies in dealing with these cold temperatures and camping and hopefully we generate a lot of support,” said Tom Jukes, firefighter.
The event is part of a national campaign and money raised will be used to purchase mobility equipment, provide support services and fund research.
The firefighters will stay on the roof until Sunday at noon.
“This year we have four campers and they’re going to remaining up there the entire 72 hours, only coming down for bathroom breaks. Last year we had three so we’ve grown by one,” said Jukes.
“I saw how they dealt with it last year and how cold it was and how much they suffered and I thought hey, why not, I’ll volunteer this year,” said Rob Dawson, Airdrie firefighter.
Dawson says he and his team mates are well prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at them.
“We’ve got a tent up there and that kind of thing and mainly as far as preparing for the weather, we’re just going to be in our fire gear and make sure we layer a lot and yea, we’ll just tough it out for the three days,” said Dawson. “Hopefully it’s a little warmer this year, we’re counting on the weather getting better as we go here.”
The event raised $16,600 last year and firefighters have collected more than $64M for Muscular Dystrophy since 1954.
Donations will be accepted at the Airdrie Boston Pizza at 106 Sierra Springs Drive SE or online HERE.
