Firefighters guest bartend at Starboard to benefit burn foundation
Firefighters from the Washington, D.C. area got behind the bar at The Starboard Restaurant Aug. 6 to benefit the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation. The guest bartending fundraiser is now in its 15th year and is a cornerstone of summer at The Starboard. While the event was certainly full of the jovial spirit the iconic Dewey Beach bar is known for, the importance of the evening cannot be understated.
For Steve "Monty" Montgomery, helping to support firefighting organizations both locally and nationally is personally important. "Anytime I can open my doors and help support the service members who do so much for communities, I do it," Montgomery says.
The event included the firefighters slinging drinks, selling T-shirts, raffling 50/50 tickets and even auctioning off dates with the firefighters. The fundraiser garners an average of $7,000 annually.
The DC Firefighters Burn Foundation mission is to help those who have been burn victims in the D.C. area. This includes firefighters and other victims, both adults and pediatric patients. Members have their hands in many aspects of the process from prevention to research, treatment and rehabilitation.
Dave Hoagland, event organizer, said, "The DC Firefighters Burn Foundation is happy to continue our long-standing partnership with The Starboard. Our 15th year of the fundraiser was a huge success. We appreciate all the support we receive from the staff at The Starboard to support the mission of the burn foundation."
When one have suffered a severe burn, life changes significantly. There are many things that victims have to relearn, from simple tasks like picking up the telephone to more complicated, confidence-building activities like sports. There are adaptive sports centers where participants relearn life skills and engage in a social environment where they are in good, understanding company. In many ways, the foundation is rebuilding lives for those who have suffered severe burns.
For Montgomery and his staff, it is an honor being a part of these evenings. For more information on the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation or to make a donation, go to www.dcffburnfoundation.org.
