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FD food drive continues

The Town of Westlock Fire Department, in conjunction with Westlock County Fire Department, has netted an impressive over 2,000 lbs of food and $3,000 in cash donations with more yet to be counted.
Town of Westlock firefighter Brian Hegedus braced -30 degree weather atop the ladder truck Dec. 10. Hegedus made it down safely, while the event brought in $2,028 in cash
Town of Westlock firefighter Brian Hegedus braced -30 degree weather atop the ladder truck Dec. 10. Hegedus made it down safely, while the event brought in $2,028 in cash donations and 597 pounds of food for the Westlock Food Bank.

The Town of Westlock Fire Department, in conjunction with Westlock County Fire Department, has netted an impressive over 2,000 lbs of food and $3,000 in cash donations with more yet to be counted.

The annual effort continued this last weekend at the Turkey Trot on Dec. 10, where Brian Hegedus was forced to stay at the top of the department’s ladder truck until the goal of filling a fire truck was reached. The event netted $2,028 in cash and 597 pounds of food for the Westlock Food Bank.

“We’ve had huge, huge success from the community to help support the aspects of this,” said Town deputy fire chief Dan Lucyk. “Along with (the food collected) we’ve been able to get multiple cases of diapers, laundry soaps, as well as multiple turkeys donated to us.”

Lucyk added that the fire department was also collecting clothing for the Family Community Support Service’s “Coats for Kids and Families” program.

“We’ve had quite a variety of food collected, be it boxed foods, cans, turkeys, milk, lots of personalized products,” said Lucyk. “It feels really good. The amount of support from the community has been absolutely amazing. We’ve had nothing but positive comments and feedback from everybody that’s been there. It’s quite amazing and touching to be able to see that type of community support.”

The fire department’s efforts have proven to be a major help for the food bank.

“It’s amazing,” said food bank vice-president Elaine Keller. “We’ve been really busy. They always come with a big smile, they’re always so willing to help and they unload it all.”

Keller added that with the food bank always in need of a hand, things like the fire department’s food drive could not happen often enough.

“The amount we need varies from week to week,” she added. “So it’s really hard to know how much we need. I know we had close to 100 people on Tuesday that needed hampers.”

Lucyk expressed the importance of the fire department getting out beyond putting out fires.

“I think that the visibility of the department is helpful,” he said. “There are a lot of people who trust the fire service and the assistance we provide the community. I think it helps to provide the public with an easy access to donate by us just being staged out at the various locations. It’s just another way for us to give back to the community that helps to support our service.”

He noted that the fire department was always looking for more ways to help in the community.

“I think it has furthered elements of what the fire service is about,” he said. “To try and help others who require assistance.”

Lucyk stressed that it was the firefighters, not the department as a whole, that is the reason for drive’s successes.

“I’d like to add a huge thank you to all of the fire members who are taking their time away from their families on the weekend to assist us in staging at these various locations to get these donations,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them giving up half their day, a lot of this wouldn’t be possible.”

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