Airdrie firefighters will be sleeping out in the cold for a good cause once again this month, as the annual Rooftop Campout for Muscular Dystrophy (MD) returns from Feb. 22 to 25.
Andrew MacPherson, the president of the Airdrie Professional Firefighters’ Association’s charitable foundation, said the timing of the yearly initiative being in February – often the coldest month of the year – is intentional.
“The whole kind of concept behind having the rooftop campout in winter like that is, when you have Muscular Dystrophy, you gradually lose use of your muscles,” he said. “It’s a degenerative disease of the muscles – they become weak to the point where some people can’t even use them.
“So when the firefighters are on the roof, especially when it is cold, you start to lose control of your muscles. It kind of simulates what people with Muscular Dystrophy have to go through.”
This is the eighth time a group of Airdrie firefighters will take to the roof at the Toad N’ Turtle pub and eatery to support the cause, but the first campout since 2020 due to two years of COVID-caused cancellations.
“It’s the biggest (charitable) event we do, and everybody invites their friends or families to come out,” said MacPherson. “People like to come out and see the firefighters.”
In conjunction with the usual rooftop campout, during which the firefighters lower a boot to the ground to collect in-person donations throughout the 72-hour event, MacPherson said Airdronians can donate online, come out to the by-donation pancake breakfast on Feb. 25, bid on a silent auction, take part in nightly 50/50 draws, and partake in various other events to support the firefighters throughout their three-night stay at the Toad N’ Turtle.
MacPherson said the partnership with the pub in Kingsview Market has allowed his group to offer a lot more to try to raise as much money as possible for those suffering with MD in Canada.
“At the Toad [customers] are coming as they normally come there,” he explained. “So we hit those people up for money and we are also doing stuff to draw them out. It just provides more of an interaction with the firefighters.”
To date, the AFPA’s charitable foundation has raised just over $123,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
This year’s four volunteer firefighters will ascend to the roof of the Toad N’ Turtle with a big launch event on Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. The public is invited to come out and wish the firefighters well and put some money in the boot.
For more information on all the events associated with this year’s Rooftop Campout visit the Airdrie Fire Rooftop Campout for Muscular Dystrophy on Facebook.
To donate online, visit bit.ly/3Z7yRxh and then click on Alberta/NWT and Airdrie Professional Firefighters to support the local campaign.
