A calendar highlighting local photographs and fundraising to support burn victims is now available in its second year. The Cranbrook Firefighters' Burn Fund 2014 Calendar is back with a whole new iteration of stunning photographs.
"It is a fundraiser for the burn fund, but also to promote the area," said Murray Robertson, a Cranbrook firefighter and local representative for the B.C. Professional Firefighters Burn Fund. "We're all proud to work in this community and we just wanted to create something that might help out and generate a bit of interest in what was going on in the community."
All proceeds from the sale of the calendar go to the fund, which helps children who have suffered burns.
The Burn Fund became a registered charity in 1978 and provides life saving, life supporting and life enriching services to people in B.C. It does this by supporting burn victims and increasing the public’s knowledge of fire and burn safety.
Last year the calendar was quite successful. Robertson noted they raised $7,000.
The Burn Fund was started by officers across B.C. and has offices in Vancouver.
“Basically locals from all over B.C. raise money then send it down there, then they allocate it whereever the resources need to go,” he said.
One of the Burn Fund goals is to create a burn building similar to a Ronald McDonald house in the province.
“It will give families a place to stay while the burn victim is in the hospital,” he said.
The calendar began when Robertson approached Karen Johnston, publisher of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman, about putting something like it together last year. Johnston, also a local resident, recognized the calendar as a way to give back to the community.
Local photographers were invited to submit their best photos from the area and those chosen get to see them featured in the glossy print.
The calendar is printed by Rocky Mountain Print Solutions, and it highlights key local dates such as schedules for School District 5 and 6and Kootenay Ice games. It also features fire and emergency safety tips. The calendar begins in September 2013 and runs for 16 months, so can be used immediately.
It costs $10 and is available at the Townsman, city hall, the Chamber of Commerce, Western Financial Place and the Cranbrook Fire Hall.