This week, firefighters in Michigan are walking to honor their brothers and sisters battling cancer or lost their battle to the disease.
The ‘Walk For The Red’ has been happening since 2019 to support heroes and their families during their toughest times. It’s a powerful show of solidarity, reminding us all-no one fights alone.
The event is run through a nonprofit, Neighbors United, which started in 2017.
“We wanted to help local families in need who are down on their luck. Kind of like I was back in 2008, 2009 and people were able to give me a hand up, not a handout, till I got back on my feet. And we started doing that and we started to grow a little bit.”
In 2019, cancer was deemed the number one killer for firefighters, and Neighbors United wanted to do something to support those families.
“That year, we decided to walk from Shelby Township to Grand Rapids, and we did that. And raised about $35,000 in our first year. And last year, we gave away over $396,000 to 75 Michigan firefighters.”
This will be the seventh year for the walk and Warne says that many families are going without necessities to get by. This December, they are planning on hitting a milestone with $1 million in donations.
“We learned in our first walk when my wife, Christy, decided to hand-deliver all the checks that first year that some of them were going without heat, some of them were going without hot water. Some of them couldn’t afford to drive back and forth to the hospital. Many of them were on their last breath and couldn’t even go on a trip to create memories. So, we decided to financially support them.”
The walk will start with a ceremony honoring the men and women who died within the last year. The event honors firefighters from around the state.
“It’s great that Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula is learning about us now, because we don’t want to leave any firefighter behind. And it’s just a great honor and privilege to be able to go out and help these men and women who are literally dying to save us.”
For more information on where to donate or get involved click here.