SFD fundraiser focuses on men’s health

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

While emergency service personnel and volunteers do everything possible to save lives once dispatched, the Strathmore Fire & Friends Movember team is saving lives in a different way; with their second annual Movember fundraiser on Nov. 19 and its focus on men’s health.
The Strathmore Fire & Friends Movember team is a group of seven members made up of firefighters, direct family members and anyone interested in the cause of supporting the Movember Foundation and the fight against cancer.
In the wake of last year’s sold out event, organizers have secured a larger venue – Humpty’s Restaurant – for an evening featuring a silent auction, door prizes and custom created sign project lead by Necia’s Notables, for their 2018 Sign Night Movember Fundraiser.
Ryan Parkins, team captain with Strathmore Fire & Friends Movember and long-time firefighter, has run the Movember initiative for nine years. However, the group’s sign-and-wine event wasn’t introduced to Strathmore until last year.
“There was a rise in the need of the fire service industry to focus on mental health, or mental health awareness at least, so that motivated me to participate in the program when I was introduced to it by some Australian friends,“ said Parkins.
“In modern society there are a lot of different things that are worthwhile causes, and in order to deal with the bigger picture we need to look at ourselves and take care of our own mental health first. This was an initiative that really focused on identifying our own needs first and then working towards a goal for everyone else.”
The Movember Foundation is a multinational charity aimed at raising money and awareness for men’s health: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention.
For over a decade the organization has funded more than 1,200 men’s health projects globally and expects to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25 per cent by 2030. The organization was the product of an idea by two men in Australia in 2003, and has since grown to receive donations from countries all over the world including many European countries, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States.
So far, the Strathmore group has already approached 10 businesses for support, and will continue to contact more before Nov. 19. The event raised $1,200 last year and organizers have a goal of $1,500 this year.
Ticket are $45 and available for all ages, although it is recommended for 13 years and above. Those under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a ticket-holding adult. Tickets will be available until Nov. 14 or until sold out. Tickets can be purchased through the Facebook page Movember Strathmore or by calling 403-901-8684.