On Friday, January 23rd, Vancouver Firefighter Charities was proud to celebrate the Canucks For Kids Fund milestone $1 million donation at the Canuck’s annual ‘Firefighters Night’. This donation is the single largest donation in VFC history and will have a profoundly positive impact on our programs that support at-risk children in our community; Snacks For Kids, Sports For Kids and Toys For Kids.
For Snacks For Kids this donation means we will be able to get food to even more food insecure children in Vancouver schools. With Toys For Kids, we will be able to support more families in need over the holiday season with gifts and food. With Sports For Kids, this means breaking down even more barriers so more children in our community can get active and enjoy the positive benefits of sports.
“Vancouver Firefighter Charities is sincerely grateful to the Canucks organization and the Canucks For Kids fund for believing in our mission and supporting our programs with this significant donation,” Eric Himmelman, Executive Director of Vancouver Firefighter Charities said. “Supporting the health and well-being of at-risk children in our community is our collective responsibility, and with this donation, the VFC will be able to deliver even more targeted and meaningful impact to children in our community who need support the most.”
Additionally, ‘Firefighter’s Night’ served as an opportunity to share the unique origin story of the axe that the Canucks players hand out to recognize their player of the game. When we first received news of this donation from the Canucks For Kids Fund we wanted to ensure that we said ‘thank you’ to the Canucks in a way that was both meaningful to firefighters and fully acknowledged the significance of their support. So, we created a custom axe with VFC logo on the head it and ‘Canucks’ engraved on the handle. We were honored to find out that the players had chosen to use the axe in such a significant way and we feel this serves as a unique symbol of the special relationship between the Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver Firefighters.
“Fire fighters play a vital role in keeping our communities safe, often putting others first without hesitation. This donation reflects our deep appreciation for their service and supports the important work of Vancouver Firefighter Charities in strengthening our community. We are proud to help firefighters make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.” Michael Doyle, President, Canucks Sports and Entertainment.
