For three days and nights in October, Chestermere firefighters will make the roof of the Emergency Services building their campsite. They are doing it for a colleague who has recently been diagnosed with ALS.
The 72-hour campout begins at noon on Wednesday, October 14, and ends at noon on Saturday, October 17. The department hopes to raise $20,000 for the ALS Society of Alberta while showing its colleague and their family that they have a community standing beside them.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive disease that damages the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscles. As those cells break down, everyday actions can become increasingly difficult. The diagnosis affects more than the person living with the disease; families, friends and coworkers face its challenges alongside them. The ALS Society of Canada provides information about the disease, while the ALS Society of Alberta offers support services and an equipment loan program for Albertans living with ALS.
For the firefighters, the cause is close to home. Their work is built around helping others through difficult moments. This time, one of their own needs that same spirit of support.
The rooftop campout will give residents a visible reminder of why the department is raising funds. Firefighters have planned a series of milestones that will change the campsite as donations climb. At $500, they will add sleeping bags; at $1,000, cots; at $2,000, chairs; and at $3,000, tents. Reaching $5,000 will bring a fire pit, followed by blue ALS glow sticks at $6,000 and a midnight s’mores and coffee station at $7,500.
If donations reach $15,000, members will take on an ALS ice bucket challenge. At the $20,000 goal, the department plans to bring its colleague living with ALS onto the roof. Each milestone is a way for people following the campout to see what their contributions have helped the team achieve.
The event will finish with a barbecue at the station beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 17. Residents can stop by as the firefighters enter the final hour of their campout, meet the people taking part and learn more about the cause.
The department says the money raised will be donated directly to the ALS Society. Its message to Chestermere is simple: this is a chance to help someone who has spent their career helping others, and to support people living with ALS beyond our community.
The firefighters will share their event donation page and a QR code so residents can contribute. Whether someone gives, visits the barbecue or helps spread the word, the department hopes the campout will remind its colleague and family that they do not have to face this alone.