Dave Sheets Memorial Fund for Critical Care Equipment to receive share of proceeds
WHAT: The Whistler Firefighters Ball
WHEN: June 7, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Dusty’s
The Dave Sheets Memorial Fund for Critical Care Equipment, which is administered through the Whistler Health Care Foundation, got a boost recently when it was chosen to be the beneficiary of half the proceeds of the annual Whistler Firefighters Ball. The other half will go towards a Fire Education Centre.
Since his death as a result of a collision with another skier in February, Dave Sheets’ friends and the community of Whistler have rallied around the fund, raising more than $11,000 through auctions, donations, hockey tournaments and other events.
Although the fund will need 100 times as much in order to buy the piece of critical care equipment at the top of their list – a CT Scanner – Chris Quinlan, the fund’s representative on the Whistler Health Care Foundation, is realistic. The fund could take several years to earn that money, or may only be a partial contributor, says Quinlan, but it was important to get the ball rolling.
"This is about people in the recreational area we live in giving back and taking responsibility for the pressure we put on the medical system," said Quinlan.
"This is the one piece of equipment (CT-Scanner) we feel can make the biggest difference right now because head injuries are a huge problem here. It might not have saved Sheetsy, but it’s going to help a lot of people," Quinlan added.
"For Sheetsy’s friends, the goal was to take something that’s a tragedy and make something positive out of it. That’s what his legacy is all about, it’s a legacy for people involved in sports and all kinds of extreme recreation around town."
The theme for the Firefighters Ball is a masquerade, and the party will feature a DJ and silent auction. The event typically sells out.
Tickets are available from Behind the Grind and other locations to be announced in the coming days. Keep your eyes peeled for the posters.
