On Saturday, May 21st, Councilmember John Lee and The Vineyards in Porter Ranch hosted the Annual LAFD/LAPD St. Baldrick’s Fundraiser—where for the 20th year in a row your Los Angeles City Firefighters and Police Officers shaved their heads with other Angelenos to raise money for childhood cancer research. This year marked the first time in event’s history that the philanthropy was not held at an LAFD or LAPD location, as the new Vineyards venue offered logistical advantages such as expanded parking and a larger footprint—both of which had been challenges in the past. The impact could immediately be visualized as the crowd was treated to a flag display above the stage during the entire day with crossed aerials from Trucks 87 and Drill Tower 40.
LAFD Captain Danny Wu and LAPD Detective Nick Sinclair once again headed the efforts to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation—which behind the US government, is the leading contributor to childhood cancer research. St. Baldrick’s mission is crucial towards fighting this deadly childhood disease because:
• Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer
• Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children in the U.S.
• One if five children diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. will not survive
• All childhood cancers are not the same, and childhood cancers are different from adult cancers
• Much of what we know about treating adults has been learned from childhood cancer research
Because the last two LAFD/LAPD St. Baldrick’s Fundraisers were virtual, and this year’s event was being held at a new location, much prep work was needed to ensure a successful event. Kudos to UFLAC’s Adam Walker and Captain Mike Kammerer for resurrecting and prepping the M.O.A.B. and Mini-M.O.A.B. from two years of sitting idle, and the crew of Fire Station 89 for their instrumental help in delivering the equipment to the Vineyards.
Councilmember John Lee, Representative Mike Garcia’s office, Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, Police Chief Michel Moore, and OVB Deputy Chief Trevor Richmond also attended the event in support, and their presence excited the crowd while their speeches reinforced the importance of fundraising for childhood cancer research. Northridge Hospital sponsored a blood drive with Vitalant, and with their partner organization National Marrow Donor Program they set up shop in the Vineyards community room to help fill local blood banks. Once again, the Pancake Factory served a delicious free sausage and pancake breakfast, and new partner Peet’s Coffee ensured everyone had a nice cup of joe. With trademark generosity, Kelly Khoury from KENKUSA donated snacks and refreshments for the crowd, and the children were delighted to receive free facepainting from Betzee Quezada, caricature drawings from retired LAFD S&M Equipment Repair Supervisor Derrick Tinsley, and photo shots on a police motorbike from Laura Lichter. Letty Almarez designed a beautiful balloon arch for the stage, and LAFD and LAPD Recruitment booths were strategically positioned next to fire and police apparatus including Cody Weireter’s Bandwagon, and LAPD Bomb/SWAT/Motor/Mounted Unit. Roaming throughout the premises, Star Wars characters, courtesy of the 501st Legion and Dark Side Riders, entertained the crowd with their realistic costumes and Magic Castle Magicians wowed the participants with their illusion and performances.
Just when there appeared to be a lull in head shaving on stage, LAFD Captain John Marasco surprised the crowd by bringing his Candidate Advancement Cadre (CAPS) Cadre of 30 or so aspiring firefighters who all sacrificed their hair in the name of fighting kids’ cancer—and in the process reinvigorated the event with their spirited participation and stage presence.
Throughout the event, the hard-working cadets from the LAFD, LAPD, and Civil Air Patrol ensured that everything ran smoothly as they handled all the logistical issues. Their work ethic certainly indicates future success in their career paths to become first responders. The event was well supported and represented by City partner organizations such as LAFRA, UFLAC, LAFD Foundation, Firefighters First Credit Union, LAPD Community Police Advisory Board, LA Protective League, and the Rotary Club of Granada Hills.
Last, but not least, a special thank you goes out to Shepherd Church’s Paula Cracium for helping organize and set up the event at the new location, and stepping up last minute with her cadre to handle all the volunteer-related responsibilities and last-minute registration needs. Thank you also to Councilmember John Lee and Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL) for allowing the LAFD and LAPD to host the St. Baldrick’s Fundraiser at the Vineyards in CD12. A special gesture of gratitude is reserved for Assistant Property Manager Rebecca Arevalo for always addressing our concerns and accommodating our numerous requests for the venue with a smile and great attitude.
This year’s event is over and on track to raise over $40K, but you can still make a difference in fighting childhood cancer by making a donation at: www.stbaldricks.org/events/lafdlapd