A Moncton firefighter is helping to bring smiles to the faces of sick kids in hospital.
This is Mike Richard’s fourth run to raise money to buy teddy bears for Moncton’s hospitals.
Wearing all his firefighting gear, including helmet, additional gear and air pack, which amounts to around 50 pounds, he did a 21 kilometre virtual run on Saturday posting live videos on social media along the way, “It’s really mind over matter, one foot in front of the other. I focused on the end goal.”
Richard has raised over $2000 so far this year, I have surpassed my initial goal. I will get as many teddy bears as possible. I think I am over the 160 teddy bear mark so far.”
All of the bears are donated to the Moncton Hospital and the Dr. Georges-Dumont Hospital in Moncton, “I donate those to the pediatric units of both area hospitals. They’ll distribute them in the hospital for any sick kids that show up. It is always comforting for them to have something to hold onto.”
Richard started his run in Dieppe, ran along the Riverfront Trail to the Moncton Golf and Country Club, then turned around and ran back, “Overall, it was a good experience and it went very well. I saw quite a few people doing virtual runs. It was a warm day with all of the gear but it was a great day overall.”
Richard doesn’t have a date set yet as to when he’ll make the donation, but admits it is always well received, “Usually, I try to line the donation up with the Kids Christmas party, but this year that is not going to be happening, so I will have to coordinate with the staff at the hospital. There’s usually a handful of firefighters who go, and we bring the fire truck. It is just as exciting for us as it is for the kids. I also bring my children along, because it is a life learning experience for them”
A Go Fund me page has been set up, if you’d like to donate to purchase even more teddy bears.
