2022/3 –Back In Business!

Greetings All!

As I’m sure most of you now know, we were successful in pulling off our first Fall Membership Meeting and Elections since Covid-19. We had just over 45 members in attendance and it was a success. The meeting began with the usual meet & greet and some catching up. Many thanks to MROO, who supplied the donuts and muffins, and Local 3888 who supplied the coffee!

We began with the welcoming of all those in attendance. The agenda was reviewed with the attendees by Al Thomas (your author), who also gave an overview of where we are since COVID. The call for nominations followed, where we made a pitch to the group to nominate their choices for the new RTFFA Executive.

Our first speaker was TPFFA President Kevin McCarthy. Kevin gave an overview of benefits and discussed the current Benefits Verification process being implemented by the City of Toronto via Mercer. A grievance has been filed with six expedited dates scheduled between now and January. He finished up telling us that they would be creating a link where all members could pass along any and all difficulties with the process. It’s now open and it can be accessed by following this link: https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/ form/4Jbb59f0K8gA7xwafG9LEZHD . We encourage any and all difficulties with this process be entered using the form, by following this link, so Local 3888 can best represent us and the issues we are all having.

Following Kevin’s report, we heard from TPFFA Secretary/ Treasurer James Reed. James discussed the cost of the current Active Retired membership to Local 3888. As this has not had the beneficial outcomes originally thought, James has suggested going to an IAFF Alumni format. The only change would be a cost to receive the IAFF magazine. The RTFFA Executive and TPFFA will discuss the options on this before the change is made.

The formal Guest Speaker session began with presentations by Bill Hartford (MROO) and Holly Murphy (Victor Insurance). Bill and Holly each made presentations on the benefits of being a MROO member, as well as the Health, Dental and Travel Insurance available to retirees.

The group broke for lunch, which was graciously provided by Comtech Fire Credit Union, one of the event sponsors.

First up after the lunch break was Christine Chapman and Mike Neely, of Comtech Fire Credit Union. Christine and Mike made a presentation on what Comtech has to offer in the way of banking services.

Our last speaker was Bob Burland, Local 3888/OPFFA

WSIB Representative. Bob discussed job related cancers and why it is important to contact a WSIB representative on diagnosis. Doing so allows the proper filing of a claim in a timely manner. He also mentioned the need to file a claim on all cancers, as this may help with having other cancers covered in the future. Any questions regarding this issue should be directed to our RTFFA address: active.retired@torontofirefighters.org.

With the completion of the guest speaker portion of the program, we began the election process, based on the nominations collected just before the start of the meeting. As it turned out, there were few nominations. Most were for those who were already serving in their positions. The one new nomination was for Mike Neely, who accepted the nomination and presented his wish to be a Director. The challenge for the Executive, was to organize the positions based on nominations and preference. The position of Vice President became vacant when Brother Paul Halls had declined further nomination and the position of Secretary/Treasurer became vacant when Brother Chuck West declined further nomination. Chuck stated he would stay as a Director.

After a quick huddle, and some political begging, we came up with the following deliberation:

• President – Al Thomas

• Vice President - Al Falkner

• Secretary Treasurer – Mike Neely

• Executive Members (3) – Ron Coates, Alan Hall, Chuck West

We closed the business portion of the meeting by acknowledging and thanking the first Executive Board of this Association for the work they have done during an unprecedented time with the COVID pandemic and all. We wished the two leaving their positions well. Paul Halls, we look forward to seeing what trouble you get into in the future. Chuck West, who remains a Director, will continue to manage our website. We also welcomed the new Executive Board, specifically Mike Neely and “everywhere” Al Falkner. We stated that we were all looking forward to the new term to come and representing our members as best we can.

There were a few interesting things of note that came from the meeting’s general discussion. The biggest one was the look on Holly Murphy’s face when she realized that our main attendee group was actually comprised of over 12 sub-groups. She thought that we were one big group of retirees that all had the same benefits. After explaining the complexities of the group, I think she, and a few others in the room, realized how complicated we can all be. This is why we suggest that members take advice given by other members on a public forum, with a grain of salt, and to ask the question directly to us or any of the existing Retiree Groups (the Original 6), to make sure that the information gained is accurate and fits their specific situation. The second thing that was very evident by those in attendance was the technology divide. Our technology divide is huge. We have members without any technology whatsoever, and we have others at the top of that spectrum who are well “plugged in”. We will be addressing this issue in the future for sure.

Some day-to-day housekeeping items:

• Your executive has been busy assisting members with membership/website issues, benefit issues, and the operation of the Toy Drive.

• Dues are all due each May 1st. We still don’t have a simple system to monitor our membership dues. Your executive will be working on this going forward.

• A Retiree Uniform Patch has been officially approved! Now we will work on obtaining permission, allowing us to wear it on our uniforms in place of the small Retired Patch! We will keep you updated.

• Greenshield Status - Our 3888 Benefits Committee continues to work hard on this one on our behalf. It’s a very complicated issue, and there is a huge amount of work being done by this group constantly.

The breakfast groups are back in full swing and in the regular places (with some exceptions). It would be a good idea for you to catch up with your retiree groups and see what’s going on. Each group has its own list of events that take place. Please reach out to your regular attendees to find out what’s going on.

We continue our work going on in the background. The RTFFA regularly collaborates with the “Original Six” Retiree groups, The Toronto Fire Fighters War Veterans Association, the Toronto Fire Historical Society, the Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association, and lastly, our two dedicated support groups, Box 12 and Support 7. Many of our retirees do double duty in these organizations and in some cases, act as referral agents.

The RTFFA continuously gets asked by many of our members what they should do with fire and military memorabilia. We refer them to the Toronto Fire Historical Society members to arrange pick up.

The RTFFA will continue to keep all of you updated on our activities. With the success of our fall meeting, we are aiming to hold the next membership meetings sometime in May, and we will keep you posted. It’s this meeting where the dues can be paid in person.

Alan Thomas President

Our membership drive is continuous! Help get the word out! If you or anyone else you know of is interested in becoming a member, feel free to contact us at: active.retired@torontofirefighters.org.

The dues ($25.00) are payable annually on the 1st of May.

Come join us, and remember to follow us on social media:

On the Webhttps://www.retiredtorontofirefighters.org/

On Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/TFSRetirees

On Twitter@TFSRetirees

Be Well and Stay Safe. Your New Executive

BY MARIE-ÈVE JULIEN, OTTAWA FIRE SERVICES, STATION 55

For the past 5 years, the Toronto Professional Firefighter Celtic Society (TPFFCS) Memorial Ride to Ottawa has taken place during the first week of September. Every year, firefighters from across Canada unite and reunite in Hamilton, to ride their bikes together for over 550 kms over three days. The peloton is always composed of veteran riders, recurrent riders and new riders.

This year, we had a total of 59 riders. This event seems to grow a little bigger every year with more popularity, more riders, more sponsors, and more visibility. This is the living proof that together, we can reach our main goal of honoring our fallen brothers and sisters and raise awareness for the Canadian Fallen Firefighter Foundation (CFFF). This three-day bike journey brings something special to all of us. It is really humbling to be part of the TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa. We train for months prior to this ride. We raise funds and awareness towards the CFFF, each in our own way. It is a big commitment in saddle time and calories burned. Getting ready to bike 550 kms in three consecutive days is not something you can achieve the next day! Once the ride is over, we all get haunted by this feeling called nostalgia. The ride is already behind us. We all have to wait a year for this wonderful journey to take place again. The first-time riders might describe the ride as nerveracking, rather than wonderful. The ride offers its fair share of unknowns for a rookie rider! Lots of questions come through your mind before and during the ride. Am I ready? Can I do this again tomorrow? What about the day after? Soon, the three days pass by and you realize what you have accomplished!

For recurrent riders, you know what to expect and you get a better appreciation of the moment. You allow yourself to reflect on why you are doing this every year. You realize how blessed you are to be part of such a unique event. Not all firefighters are still among us. Far too many brothers and sisters have made the ultimate sacrifice and this is the reason we are doing this ride. Hopefully, readers will be able to let themselves coast through the memorial ride and imagine what we went through during these three days.

Our starting point was on Wednesday, 8:15am sharp, at the Hamilton Fire Training Academy. The day’s finish line will be 200kms away in Cobourg. All 59 riders and support staff meet up for the first time. Nerve-racking for some, exciting for others! Hamilton FD offered us a delicious breakfast again this year! Hamilton firefighters, friends and family are at the rendezvous. The morning briefing is about to start, meaning the ride is about to start. As we all take our first pictures of the ride, off in the distance we hear the sound of bagpipes…and an immense sense of pride invades us. The stress disappears and we are ready to tackle that 200km. The victorious sound of bagpipes carried us all the way to our first stop, Oakville, resonating in our heads.

Oakville was our first stop of many. As a new rider, you learn the tough way how quick the stops are. You realize how efficient you have to be with managing your time. Only a few minutes to replenish your fluids and energy, meet your needs and be part of the group picture! You are basically running around while the veteran riders have it all figured out. That’s experience, my friend.

Soon after, we are riding through downtown Toronto. The city seems literally paused for our arrival thanks to an incredible police escort. This was one of the most impressive things we have experienced in our life! It is an indescribable feeling to cruise through downtown Toronto like that. Having the Toronto Police Motor Squad ride along side us, as they block every intersection and ensure our safety. It definitely leaves you speechless. Every year, this is a moment we all look forward to. No traffic, no cars, nobody to slow us down, only tramway tracks. Riding near the tramway tracks in Toronto is always a stressful part of the ride. Never let your front wheel get into the tracks or this will result in a terrible outcome for you and the people behind! Luckily, riding along the tramway tracks went flawless this year! All riders felt blessed about this!

Finally, we arrived in Cobourg, where most looked forward to a restful night. The longest stretch of the ride was behind us. Dinner time is always a good time to catch up on half conversations you had during the day, or to chat with others you did not have the chance to ride with. We all compiled our anecdotes of the day and this is how we make it one big story!

On the second day of our journey, we left Cobourg for Kingston at 9:00am, with an ETA of 4:30pm. We first stopped at a Cobourg Fire Station where we met a Cobourg Firefighter’s widow. Her husband passed away in 2020 from an occupational illness and is being recognized this year as a line of duty death (LODD). Occupational illnesses such as cancers are major causes of LODDs nowadays in the firefighting industry. In their work, firefighters are exposed to a lot of toxins and chemicals. Recognizing those who have perished due to occupational illnesses means a lot to all of us.

Kingston is always a fun stop. I always wondered if it’s because of the city or because it’s the shortest day! As usual, the second day goes by very quickly. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine and a little tail wind to make this day even

The steepest hill we had to climb was Foley Mountain in Westport. This is always a fun competition among riders and against oneself. Who will reach the top the fastest? After suffering that climb, we had a pretty strong tail wind that carried us all the way to Perth, Aston and finally Ottawa. It really felt like we were pushed from behind.

Riding into Ottawa evokes a strong sense of excitement, pride and mixed emotions. Arriving at the National Firefighter Memorial, with the sound of bagpipes, really is a unique feeling. Despite the heat of the day, and the effort on the bike, a huge thrill runs through your body. You feel excited to arrive at the memorial. You feel proud of what you have accomplished, not only as an individual, but also as a group. Once you put your eyes on the Memorial, you become very emotional when you see all the names engraved onto the wall. Soon after, you realize that the families of our fallen brothers and sisters were cheering us upon our arrival.

Whether you are a rookie or veteran rider, all come to agree that this year was an incredible ride! Some veteran riders would even qualify it as being the best ride so far. We had amazing weather, a perfect temperature, and most importantly, no accidents! Everything went smoothly, and this is a blessing for a peloton composed of 59 diverse riders. It really felt like someone was watching over us.

The TPFFCS Memorial Ride to Ottawa would not be possible if it were not for our many sponsors, the multiple police escorts, our support staff, the team captains, all the departments who hosted and provided us with food and beverages, and most importantly, our main organizer, the logistical brain behind this event, David Cossitt. All we see in the pictures are the cyclists, but there is so much more. Some individuals devote a tremendous amount of time toward the organization of the ride. All credit goes to the amazing people working hard behind the scene to make this event possible.

BY TPFFA EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Firefighters have a reputation for being very “careful” with money. The following are some tips which may save you some money. Please note that I am not a financial advisor of any kind, just an individual who listens to others and picks up useful advice along the way.

• Reduce spending - this is the most important and obvious trick of saving money. You can’t save any money if you’re constantly buying stuff. Figure out what you need and what you can live without. For example, a daily Starbucks coffee, pack of smokes, Peloton subscription, etc. can add up to sizeable sums. There is nothing wrong with spending money on these if you enjoy them, but my suggestion is to write down the amount each time a purchase is made and after adding up the sum at the end of the month, decide for yourself if it is worth it.

• Take care of your belongings - taking care of your belongings extends their life cycle, preventing you from spending money to replace them. This can be as easy as using a good protective case for your phone, or as difficult and intricate as changing your vehicles’ oil yourself. You can also create hobbies from this, such as learning to repair small engines around the house, or learning to sew to repair old clothing.

• Advocate for yourself - when securing a new service subscription like cellphone or internet, don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself on why you deserve a great deal. If you’ve been a customer for a number of years, mentioning it and referencing competitor’s deals will communicate that you’ve done your research and have thought about switching providers. No one wants to spend ~30 minutes on hold to talk to a sales rep, but if it can save you ~$30 monthly, it’s worth it to me. Please don’t ask businesses for a discount simply for being a firefighter unless it is advertised.

• Don’t rely on overtime to pay the bills –lately, we have been fortunate to have opportunities to work extra if we choose, but it’s not a good idea to get used to this extra unbudgeted money, as it can end abruptly, leaving you paying for a lifestyle that you can no longer afford. Instead, consider using it to pay off debt or treat yourself to something extra like a trip for all your hard work. If you base your annual budget on the first paycheque of the year, then later in the year, when CPP/EI are paid off, this bump can be a nice surprise.

• Keep records - keeping records is important for so many things and it is a good habit to get into for your finances as well. It doesn’t have to be difficult either. For example, every pay I write down the amount I got paid, subtract money owing on upcoming bills (mortgage, cell phone, condo fees), then try and figure out what’s likely to happen in the next two week period and what purchases I will need to make. Using that information, I can better decide how much on the credit card to pay off or how much I’m comfortable investing.

• Don’t pay fees - paying fees suck, so don’t do it! Avoid them whenever possible. Pay bills on time to avoid a “late fee”. Order online purchases at the same time to avoid paying extra “shipping fees”. Cancel appointments early to avoid a “late-cancellation fee”. Stick to carry-on if possible to avoid a “luggage fee”. Always question the “convenience fee” and then decide for yourself if you truly and honestly want to do business with an organization that charges a “convenience fee”.

If your bank charges you a monthly “maintenance/service fee”, find a new bank. If they expect you to keep a minimum balance, understand that this balance is what it is costing you to bank with them. There are plenty of other banks to go with that won’t con you.

• Credit card - credit cards are a trap that people seem to fall into because they don’t realize how much they are paying in interest on them. The government of Canada website has a very useful and eye opening calculator to show you this, but the best advice to give is simply pay it off in full by the due date indicated on the statement. Don’t aim for the minimum payment, or you will spend your life paying off credit card interest. For example, if you make a $1,000 purchase using a credit card with an 18% annual interest rate and only pay the minimum monthly amount of $10, that purchase will cost you $1,800 over the course of 10 years! This is, of course, assuming you don’t make any other purchases over the 10 year period.

• Subscriptions - it seems that companies offer a free trial requiring your credit card information in the hopes that you forget to cancel after the trial period. If you have a lot of subscriptions to services, odds are that you’re not using all of them. The new year is a perfect time to manage and cancel less utilized ones.

• Hunt for deals - Flipp is a great app to use for meal planning at the firehall because it tells you what foods are on sale at grocery stores in your area. Perfect for a ‘budget conscious crew”. It can also be used for other items, but remember that 20% off a useless item is still a frivolous purchase.

• Manage spending with your spouse - this is absolutely foreign to me, since I live an incredible single lifestyle, but apparently some couples might not be on the same page when it comes to finances, which can create relationship tension. A solution to this would be proper communication, to ensure you are both on the same page and reaching compromises when appropriate. Good luck!

Bruce Robert Gilbert

Kenneth Gill

Harry Mills

Thomas Hughes

Graham Etherington

Richard Gunns

Gary Leach

Retired Deaths from August 16, 2022 to February 17, 2023

February 16, 2023

February 16, 2023

February 12, 2023

February 11, 2023

February 7, 2023

February 3, 2023

Januar y 28, 2023

Craig Richard Waters Januar y 26, 2023

Russell Phillips

Januar y 18, 2023

Allan Copping Januar y 17 2023

David Cunningham

Januar y 16, 2023

Carl Boddy Januar y 11, 2023

Raymond George Sprunt Januar y 11, 2023

Stephen Mark Stewart Januar y 5, 2023

Harry Robert Taylor

December 31, 2022

Patricia ‘Trish’ Nicholson December 9, 2022

Danial Clark

December 9, 2022

Crawford (Croft) Simpson December 7, 2022

Donald Norman Muir

Edward Boyd

James ‘Jimmy’ Simpson

Brian Balsdon

Douglas English

Robert McIntosh Diack

Pieter Karl Zuber

Bob Colhoun

Valentine Arthur DeLory

Valentino Cicci

Douglas Fleming

Leonard Shirose

Robert ‘Bob’ Squibb

Norman Graham Porter

George Allison

Donald Allan Smith

David Nicol

Robert ‘Bob’ Kendall

December 4, 2022

December 1, 2022

November 30, 2022

November 29, 2022

November 27, 2022

November 22, 2022

November 17, 2022

November 17, 2022

November 5, 2022

October 31, 2022

October 28, 2022

October 24, 2022

October 23, 2022

September 25, 2022

September 16, 2022

September 4, 2022

August 19, 2022

August 16, 2022

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Norman Sinclair

On October 15, 2022 our fire community lost another brave soul. Retired Captain Norman Sinclair passed away at the age of 72, from an occupational disease at Toronto General Hospital.

Captain Sinclair started with the former Scarborough fire on September 30, 1974, and was very active as a union member of Local 626, and was elected as Vice President in the ’80s. Norman was promoted to Captain on January 13, 1997, and he retired after 33 years of service on January 31, 2008.

Norm had a definite zest for life, a contagious smile and an amazing sense of humour. He had many passions including golf, travel and most of all, spending time with his family. Norm was a strong believer in charity work and was actively involved within his community both at home and work. He will be greatly missed by all of us who were lucky enough to have known him.

Rest in Peace Brother Sinclair.

In Honour of Toronto Fire Captain Norman Sinclair, a Memorial Plaque will be hung at a TFS Station.

Chris Cauchon

After a long battle with cancer, District Chief Chris Cauchon passed away quietly with his family by his side at the young as of 57, on November 18, 2022. Devoted husband to loving wife Bess. Dedicated father to Jonathan and Zoe. Chris leaves behind his beloved father, Dona, and adoring siblings: Jim, Barry, Tom, Laurie, Kim, Alan and Marty. Predeceased by his dear mother Adrienne.

Brother Cauchon was a proud man, a proud firefighter. He devoted his career to the communities of Toronto throughout the duration of his career. Chris will be missed by his large extended family and his Toronto Fire Services family.

In Honour of Toronto Fire District Chief Chris Cauchon, a Memorial Plaque will be hung at a TFS Station.

November 17, 1958 –

November 10, 2022

September 30, 1966 –

December 14, 2022

March 19, 1967 –December 14, 2022

BY JULIE PETRUZZELLIS, TORONTO FIRE ACTING CAPTAIN, STATION 116-D

Fire Service Women Ontario has just wrapped up their annual training symposium – the first in-person symposium since 2019! Every year, FSWO honours individuals within the Fire Service who have moved the needle forward for all of us in the profession, whether it be as a trailblazer or through innovative programs that advance FSWO’s goals and mandate to encourage, educate and empower women.

Each year, Toronto Fire and the TPFFA support FSWO in reaching their goal. TFS has paid the symposium cost for up to 10 members each year for many years now. This is an enormous benefit, especially for new recruits, who are just starting out in their careers. The TPFFA also supports FSWO through periodic in-kind donations of meeting space and our Executive and HREI Committee support FSWO nominal union membership

In turn, TPFFA members contributed to the growth of FSWO. Many of our are members, some are symposium instructors, and volunteered on the Board over the years.

Toronto Fire has the of being the largest fire the country and one of in North America. Our is large, and our depth and experience, interests and passions are impressive. At this year’s symposium, several of our members were honoured with awards for their service to the profession and to our communities.

Members Frank Jones (P132-B), Patti Youn (P324-B), Charles McGregor (A331-B), and Brian Porter (S313-D) were honoured with this year’s Equity and Diversity award for their dedication to building community for people of equity deserving groups in the fire service. Along with a nationwide group of retired and active firefighters of all ranks and divisions, Charles, Patti, Brian, and Frank formed the Allied Firefighters of Canada/Alliance des Pompier.ière.s du Canada. The goal of AFC/APC is to diversity, equality and a network environment for firefighters of all underrepresented groups. human beings, we all about fitting in. Code and hiding parts of ourselves, our families our culture, is a daily for firefighters from underrepresented groups want to be accepted - who to belong. Brené Brown differentiates between “belonging” and “fitting in” in her book Atlas of the Heart. She writes, “Belonging is the innate human desire to be part of something larger than us. Because this yearning is so primal, we often try to acquire it by fitting in and by seeking approval, which are not only hollow substitutes for belonging, but often barriers to it.” The work of AFC/APC is to dismantle systems that act as barriers to belonging. They are a registered not-for-profit group and are looking for volunteers to help with mentoring and peer support! Sometimes, just being your authentic self can be a way to dismantle barriers to belonging, and sometimes, being your authentic self requires you to be a trailblazer. This year’s FSWO President’s Trailblazer Award was presented to Sofie Lasiuk, ADC at station 231. The definition of trailblazer is to be the first to lead, to make a new path, and show others that a certain path is possible. Sofie is the first transgender firefighter in Toronto Fire Services history; something for which she is rightfully proud. Being a trailblazer means carving a path that makes space for others. We are hard-pressed to think of another firefighter who is as dedicated as Sofie to making space for other firefighters. As a mentor to many of us, she offers guidance and direction. As a leader, she brings clarity and builds confidence.

For those who know her, it’s plain to see how someone with Sofie’s drive, intelligence, strength of character, joyful outlook, and passion for helping others succeed, continues to impress those she meets. Her dedication to her profession is obvious.

She has been on numerous committees since she was hired 32 years ago: the Etobicoke Fire Department’s CAD Advisory committee, Toronto Fire’s High Rise Committee, the TFS Apparatus Committee, the Positive Space Committee, the TFS Deployment Review Committee, and, most recently, the TFS Recruit Candidate Interview Panel. She has also sat on national and international panels for transgender and 2SLGBTQ+ issues, all while promoting TFS and its inclusivity. Her work has changed our fire service for the better. When she isn’t busy trailblazing, you can find Sofie enjoying a tasty IPA somewhere in the city.

2022 Family Day at Canada’s Wonderland

TPFFA 2019, 2020 & 2021 Retirement Dinner & Dance

Captain Douglas Brown – Retiree

“ I wanted to make sure you know how grateful I am for that wonderful evening put on by the association on October 27. It probably will never happen again having 3 years of retirees. Being able to see so many people who I worked with over the years was amazing. The people, food, music, gifts and speeches were great. It was special to see the people being “remembered “on the big screen. This was a fantastic send-off after such a wonderful career. Thank you to you and all involved. I appreciate it so much.”

2022 Recruit Class

CP Holiday Train

Samantha Cooke: VP, Philanthropy - Daily Bread Food Bank

“Would you please share our deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the volunteers that came out on Tuesday night to support the CP Holiday Train, benefitting Daily Bread Food Bank. I think it was the most well attended Holiday Train that I have seen in years and the community loved meeting you and your volunteers, exploring the ladder truck and enjoying the wonderful hot chocolate and cheer. Please say a BIG thank you to the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters Association (TPFFA) and to the volunteers from the Greater Toronto Multiple Alarm Association (GTMAA) for sponsoring the hot chocolate! Together you helped us raise over $5,330.22 in cash that night and collect over 4,044lbs of food! That along with the cheque from CP brings our total to over $20,330.22 raised to help provide food for our neighbours over the holidays. That’s over 20K meals!!! Stay safe and well.”

September 30, 2022

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Fire Fighters of Toronto honoured the children who never returned home and the survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities on September 30th, 2022 by wearing the colour orange and acknowledging that ‘Every Child Matters’. Toronto Fire believes that public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process. We thank all those brothers and sisters in our recruit class and on the job who participated in this impactful day of truth and reconciliation by wearing an orange shirt. We will unite again come September 30, 2023.

Thank You

Patrick Howlett: President, Camp BUCKO

“…Your generous donation of $1000 is so very much appreciated by us all. …Camp BUCKO 2022 was extremely successful as we were finally able to celebrate our 25th Anniversary – Under the Big Top! As a result of generous donations, we provided an exciting program to our incredible young burn survivors. Our campers were very excited to resume a normal week at camp to enjoy some of their favourite activities: Fishing, Horseback Riding, Stand-up Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, High Ropes and more. We cannot thank you enough for supporting our incredible campers!!...”

2022 TPFFA Drive-In Family Movie Night

Grateful Ardee Gomes: Scholarship Recipient from East York Collegiate

Dear [TPFFA Charity Committee]

I cannot explain my gratefulness towards you. This actually means a lot that you considered me as an award winner. This award will not only be the one success in my life but will remind me to keep working hard in my everyday life.

I am really thankful for your donation and really looking forward to helping the community the way you did to me today.

BY MATT JENNISON, TORONTO FIRE FIGHTER AND CHARITY COMMITTEE MEMBER, STATION 312-C

Recap of the event:

In case you missed it…the Battle of the Bands was a huge success! This year, the TPFFA’s Charity Committee put together a trend setting fundraiser for the 2022 Movember campaign. The event was held at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in downtown Toronto. The night sold out with over 500 people attending and brought in $15,000 for men’s health! Firefighters rocked the house and set the place ablaze with seven bands and one solo performer. This was the first year that the TPFFA held a Battle of the Bands for Movember. The night’s bands all featured first responders from Toronto. The playing genres spanned rock, country and punk. That night, we all learned that the TPFFA has some extremely talented musicians that lent their gift to make a big difference for men’s health. The TPFFA would like to acknowledge and thank the following performers:

So Dirty the Flamingos

Help leading up to & during the event

Chris Tessaro

Tori Goulart

Mykahil ‘Bear’ Baehr

Nick Hall

Brad Hoy

Dan Veiras

Shawn Nichols

Al Falkner

Isam Mohammad-Sharif

Gerlando Peritore

Andy McDowell

Macenzie Boettger

Matt Schembri

Margaret Scott

Steven Amador

Micheal Wladyczak

Raffle providers

Annie Cho (MLSE)

Sharon Hunter (Vacation Hunters)

Jenna Penkala

Liam Brown

Long & McQuade

Michael Marchen

Kevin McCarthy

Tyler Watkins (Movember Canada)

Shane DeMerchant (Movember Canada)

Rob Kular

Cara Kabay

Jon Nagai

Tristan Brooke Fasulo

Geoff Berenz

Mike Raffaghello

Vicky Sura

Craig, Andrew, Bruce & John (Horseshoe Tavern)

Henson Shaving Company Canadian Tire Cineplex

Green Infrastructure Partners INC (GIP)

Janos Csepreghi

All bands fought hard for the privilege of best band in the TPFFA, but only one could take home the award. The MC of the night, Chris Tessero, awarded the band ‘So Dirty the Flamingos’ with 1st place. The band then proceeded to rock the house with an amazing encore to send everyone home. The runner up award went to ‘Annie and the All-nighters’.

Whether you were there that night, or you supported the Movember campaign by donating, growing, promoting or just showing up for the Battle of the Bands, you helped to make men a little more open to talk…so thank you! All that supported the event made Movember a huge success! Success like this can’t be done just once, so, we will have to see you again next year, so that we can top it!

A word from the event lead:

“Movember Canada is an organization about getting people to know it’s okay to ask for help; whether it’s about their mental health or their prostate. In this case, the event was only a success because of all the help I received along the way.

The event was important to me for a number of reasons. It is heavily tied to firefighters, due to our male dominated profession, but also the extra risk of cancers that we face. One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

But for me, Movember is personal, due to prostate cancer running in my family. The only reason my father was able to beat prostate cancer this year is because of amazing organizations like Movember putting in the hard work raising funds, research and awareness for prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

On top of that, mental health concerns are something that run deep through our family. So, running an event that tells even one person that it’s okay to talk and get help is a win in my books. Suicide is the second highest cause of death among Canadian men aged 15-44.

I was thrilled to run the first event, and I cannot wait to run the next! It is only going to get better.”