St. Louis Post-Dispatch
ST. LOUIS — A nonprofit that helps families of first responders killed or injured in the line of duty expressed gratitude Tuesday for a heavyweight donation of $1 million.
The record donation for The BackStoppers came from the Guns ‘N Hoses Boxing Association from the proceeds of its Budweiser Guns ‘N Hoses fundraiser.
That event, the 34th such fundraiser run by the group, was held in November, and showcased boxing and mixed martial arts matches with police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel from Missouri and Illinois.
https://www.facebook.com/backstoppers/posts/5082606731762948
“I can’t thank Gun ‘N Hoses enough for the work they do on behalf of The BackStoppers,” Ron Battelle, executive director of The BackStoppers, said in a statement. “I wish I could tell you the need for our assistance has decreased. That not as many first responders are being injured or losing their lives in the line of duty. But that is not the case. Since Guns ‘N Hoses in November 2021 we have already added five more families with five dependent kids to our roster.”
After a first responder dies or is catastrophically injured in the line of duty, BackStoppers provides money to pay emergency expenses and debts. The group supports first responders throughout the region in Missouri and Illinois.
With this donation, the boxing association has given $10 million to The BackStoppers in the past 34 years, the nonprofit said. The event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
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