U n i o n f ir ef ig ht e r s sp e nd da y
a t M DA s um m e r c a m p
More than 100 union firefighters from
throughout Oregon spent the day July 11 at
the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s an-
nual summer camp at Camp Arrah Wanna
near Mt. Hood in Welches.
“Campers look forward to and talk about
Firefighter Day year-round,” said Kathleen
Jasper, camp coordinator from MDA.
Firefighters show off their rigs, enjoy a
lunch with the campers hosted by Portland
Fire Fighters Local 43, and participate in
games throughout the day. The summer
camp lasts a week,
and about 30 fire-
fighters spend the
entire week serving
as counselors. Many
of the firefighters
have been volunteers
since the 1980s.
The camp pro-
vides campers ages
6 to 21 an opportunity to spend time away
from their parents and with other young peo-
ple affected by neuromuscular diseases.
Activities are specially designed for
young people with limited mobility or con-
fined to a wheelchair. Activities range from
outdoor sports such as swimming, wheel-
chair sports and horseback riding; to less
physically demanding activities like arts and
crafts and talent shows.
This year’s summer camp hosted 103
campers.
“The firefighters are really dedicated to
this camp and to our organization,” Jasper
said. “This summer camp has one of the
highest volunteer rates of firefighters in the
country.”
Throughout the summer, firefighters from
across the nation participate in “Fill-the-
Boot” drives, where they stand on streets or
attend parades and ask passing motorists and
spectators to fill their fire boots with dona-
tions to MDA.
Over the past 50 years, the International
Association of Fire Fighters has collected
more than $300 million for MDA.
Union firefighters from more than a half-dozen locals in Oregon took part in an
obstacle course race. The event included grabbing a key (photo left) and finding the
right lock to unchain a T-shirt; balancing an egg on a spoon; eating a whipped cream
pie (photo at top of page), and more. In the photo above, firefighters get ready to
compete in a “water ball” contest against MDA camp counselors.
JULY 20, 2007
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
PAGE 7