Volunteer firefighters want you to Catch the Ace this month

The Fraternal Order of Eagles in Aweres is helping out the community's volunteer fire department in a big way.

Every Tuesday, the club is hosting a Catch the Ace draw in an effort to support the firefighters financially while also bringing the community together for a good cause.

The funds raised will help the volunteer firefighters purchase PPE as well as necessary items for around the hall.

The province covers worker insurance, a truck and airpacks for the fire hall. Funds from taxes through the Local Services Board of Aweres go toward the running of the fire hall. However, fundraising initiatives help the volunteers access tools and gear that will help to make life easier - and safer - for the volunteers.

“Once you leave the city limits, east or north, you are protected by volunteer firefighters,” said Rob Hiiemaa, Aweres Volunteer Fire Department Chief. “A lot of people don’t realize that. So it is very important that we are there to provide protection.”

It isn’t just fires that the volunteers help with. They frequently respond to accidents, search and rescue and those wounded while snowmobiling or hiking.

“The most dangerous thing we do is attend accidents on the highway,” Hiiemaa explained. “We need to be well prepared for that.”

With so much demand on a volunteer firefighter’s time, between completing regular training qualifications and working full-time jobs, there isn’t a lot of time left to fundraise for the gear and tools needed to provide safe and reliable assistance to those in need.

It’s for that reason that Hiiemaa is grateful and excited to have the Eagles Club helping with Catch the Ace. 

“We had our first few nights of Catch the Ace and it was the first time in years that we’ve had a community event in Heyden,” said Hiiemaa. “Seeing all the people come out to support us is great. It makes us feel like we are really a part of something.”

Organizers sell tickets every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The draw is at 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets are $5.00, with all proceeds going to the Aweres Volunteer Fire Department.

You can Catch The Ace at the Eagles Club at 20 Trout Lake Rd. In Heyden.

For more information, call 705-575-4061 or visit the club’s Facebook page.