SMITHFIELD, RI, – At a time when many families of fallen firefighters are suffering job losses and hard times, most companies are slashing jobs and expenses, Sperian Fire has announced a unique program to boost support for these families.families of fallen firefighters Sperian is donating a combined $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation in a grassroots effort to drive increase awareness and support around for the cause ofthese foundations. fallen firefighters. It is the largest charitable donation in Sperian Fire’s history.
“With so many people hurting right now, we thought it was important to support Even with the economy down, we can’t desert the people who protect us all,” said Bill Sokol, Vice President Marketing for Sperian Fire. “So At Sperian we decided to take the money we normally spend to ship, assemble, dismantle and return our large FDIC exhibit booth – roughly $100,000 USD – and use it to fundfor a donation to help the families of fallen heroes.”
In a unique twist, the donation will not be made in Sperian Fire’s name, but rather in the names of any US and Canadian firefighters who take a moment to sign the donation registry at visit www.sperianfire.com/and sign the donation registry. Registrants also have an opportunity to offer a few words of encouragement or make their donations in memory of individual fallen comrades.
Beginning at the FDIC show on April 23 and continuing through June 30, Sperian Fire will be collecting names from participating members of the firefighting community to present with the final donation checks to the two organizations. The donor names will not be used for any sales purpose.
“We felt this was a great opportunity to help firefighters get personally involved in showing their support for this important cause without actually asking them for a donation,” Sokol said. “Instead, we’re putting up the money to give in their names.”
As Sokol spoke, firefighters were lining up at the Sperian Fire booth (#2112) to sign the registry. Without its usual imposing booth structure, the Sperian Fire exhibit itself was a simple affair. That’s That was all right with Sokol, who said the families of fallen firefighters need help a lot more than Sperian Fire needs its exhibit booth this year.
“This is a wonderful, thoughtful, and very much appreciated effort,” said Chief Ronald Siarnicki, Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, as he registered to make his donation in honor of “some fallen friends who will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.”
“I can’t remember ever receiving so much support,” added Captain Robert Kirkpatrick of Mississauga, Ontario, President of the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “Every fighter should go to the Sperian Fire site and register. The We in the firefighting community needs to show our support for companies that are willing to help us fund these critical foundations. It will take less than two minutes to show that support.”
“We’re very excited about this on-line donation program,” said Anne Chambers, Channel Manager for Sperian Fire. “We hope to build a grassroots, word-of-mouth campaign that directly engages firefighters and raises greater awareness and support for the Ffallen firefighter foundations among the firefighting community.
The After the Sperian Fallen Firefighters Program will continue throughconcludes June 30, 2009. Ddonation checks will be presented at ceremonies in July.
You can learn more about the donation and check on the latest news about Sperian and the Fallen Firefighters Foundation at www.sperianfire.com.