Do you and your co-workers or friends have what it takes to pull a 44,000-pound fire truck further and faster than anyone else?
That’s the challenge of the local Alzheimer Society’s “Pulling for Dementia” Fire Truck Pull, which is returning for the first time since the pandemic began.
Excitement is building for the sixth annual fundraiser, which takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21st at the Peterborough Airport. All proceeds from the event will support the programs and services of the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton. (Update: due to the forecast for rain on Wednesday afternoon, the event will now conclude at noon rather than 2:30 p.m.)
VIDEO: Alzheimer Society Fire Truck Pull
“The fifth annual event was very successful,” notes the organization’s donor relations coordinator Ryan Arnold, referring to the 2019 fundraiser which raised around $40,000. “It was an amazing day, full of fun with great energy. I sent an email letting our past teams know that it’s coming back, and got a bunch of responses back saying ‘We’re in!’ and ‘Can’t wait!’, so there’s already a lot of excitement.”
While the challenge of the event is to see which team can pull an 44,000-pound fire truck the furthest distance in the least amount of time, that’s not the only bragging right a team can earn.
At the 2019 event, the Minds in Motion Cobourg team — comprised of people living with dementia and their family members — wasn’t the physically strongest team but raised, they were the team that raised the most funds for the event, pulling in $16,000.
Teams are comprised of either 10 men, 12 women, or 12 men and women. Each team must raise at least $1,000 before the event to participate in the fire truck pull. For the first time, individuals can also register for the event this year for a minimum donation of $100. But don’t worry — you won’t be expected to pull the fire truck by yourself.
“Some people might be interested but don’t have the 10 or 12 people to form a team,” Arnold explains. “As we get closer to the event, we’ll build out a team of registered individuals. If we still don’t have enough for a full team, we’ll place some of our staff on the team so they will get a chance to pull.”
Teams and individuals can register now at firetruckpull.ca.
Also new this year is the location of the event at the Peterborough Airport, a switch from the Memorial Centre parking lot that will be unavailable in the fall due to the start of construction of the new twin-pad arena in neighbouring Morrow Park.
“We have a big space there — it’s going to work out really well,” says Arnold, noting both the City of Peterborough and The Loomex Group (which manages the airport) answered “Of course” when asked if they could accommodate the event.
What isn’t new this year but is welcomed wholeheartedly is the return participation of Rev. Ken Fast, a Cobourg-based Lutheran minister who is again serving as honorary chair for the event.
Dubbed “the world’s strongest priest,” Rev. Fast holds several Guinness World Records for feats of strength, including his pulling of a 188.83-ton Globemaster III airplane, several fire trucks and, if that’s not enough, a house.
“A lot of people have claimed, especially my competitors, that I cheat — that I have divine intervention,” noted Fast in a 2016 interview with kawarthaNOW prior to that year’s fire truck pull event. “But I work hard at it and I was gifted with some ability.”
As has been the case for past pulls, the majority of the teams will be comprised of office workers and corporate staff taking advantage of what Arnold terms “a great team-building exercise.” Up for grabs, besides some serious bragging rights, is a trophy for fastest pull time.
Of note, says Arnold, every cent brought in stays in with the local Alzheimer Society, going directly into programs and services. To date, close to $150,000 has been raised through the event since its inception. However, there’s another benefit, notes Arnold.
“We find, with all our events, we get an uptick in awareness,” he says. “We see an increase in referrals. We see more people reaching out. The money raised is great, but the media attention is huge. It’s all about letting people know we’re here.”
With close to 11,000 people in the society’s catchment area who are living with Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia, heightened awareness is vital.
“Everyone has a story, a connection to Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia, especially in our community where we have an older population,” notes Arnold. “Our rate of dementia is one of the highest in Ontario and it’s continuing to grow.”
“It’s really important that we continue to fundraise and raise awareness, and that we need to be able to provide the supports and services required deal with that rapid growth. Every day there’s new research, new developments, and new supports. A lot of people look at a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s as the end, but there’s a whole life to live.”
The Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton provides services supportive services at no charge to families and individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, throughout all four counties including the communities of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Lindsay, Haliburton, Minden, Cobourg, Port Hope, Campbellford, Havelock, and Millbrook. The society also provides a range of public education services within the communities its serves, as well as educational opportunities to those living with dementia and those supporting persons with dementia including family members, caregivers and professionals.
For more information on the society and the services it provides locally, visit alzheimer.ca/en/pklnh or call 705-748-5131.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
