Volunteers pull together to raise funds and awareness for veterans and first responders

Volunteers rowing to raise funds and awareness for Calgary first responders and veterans Saturday at police headquarters.

A robust crew of volunteers are raising funds and awareness for first responders and veterans Saturday at Calgary police headquarters in northeast Calgary.

Starting at 9 a.m., 12 teams of 20 are competing in a seven-hour long stationary rowing event, Pulling Together for Mental Health.

“They’re battling it out over that seven hours to see who can raise the most money and also cover the most distance,” said CPS executive director Rory Thompson.

“All the money that we raise goes towards Calgary veterans and first responder supports for Wounded Warriors Canada,” Thompson added.

One example of how the money will be spent is through the use of an “operational stress intervention dog,” Thompson said, which will be made available to provide emotional support to members.

Thompson said the actual rowing competition is pretty challenging,with many teams breaking up the seven hours into five minute segments.

Rory Thompson is the CPS executive director of Pulling Together for Mental Health.

He said volunteers include first responders, veterans as well as “we have people from the (greater) Calgary community as well, including a number of members of the Punjabi community who turned up to take a turn rowing.

“It’s amazing,” he said, “to have that whole range or Calgarians represented. We’re super-excited to see where it goes today – and as you can see in that room, the energy (level) is high.”

Organizers set a goal of $50,000 but by the time the event got underway Saturday, had already raised over $73,000.

To learn more about Pulling Together for Mental Health, go here.

With files from Tyler Barrow