Fundraiser Planned For Canton Fire Department
Ken Byron, Reporter
CANTON — Town firefighters will moonlight as wait staff Thursday when they collaborate with a local restaurant to raise money for equipment and training.
Dish ‘n Dat restaurant is holding the fundraiser and will donate 25 percent of its proceeds from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day. Town firefighters will wait on patrons, clear dishes and do other work at the restaurant.
“They will be doing everything except cooking the food,” said Dan Keller, owner of the restaurant.
Firefighter boots will also be put out to take donations from restaurant patrons, said Canton Volunteer Fire & EMS department spokeswoman Sylvia Cancela. All proceeds will benefit the department, she said.
Cancela said proceeds will help the department buy equipment, run training programs for its members and fund recruitment and retention efforts. “We just want to provide the best training and the best gear we can for our members,” Cancela said.
Cancela said the fire department will also have its new ladder truck, an engine and an ambulance on display outside the restaurant.
Dish ‘n Dat has done similar events for the fire department since 2010 that raised more than $5,500, Cancela said.
“We have done something with them practically since they opened in the Shoppes,” Cancela said. “We heard they did fundraisers for the community and approached them.”
Keller said he had done fundraisers for other groups as well. “I got involved with the fire department in town because it’s a volunteer organization,” he said. “I like to give back to the community where I do business and this is a good way to do that. It will be a fun day.”
A partnership with the local Ben & Jerry’s franchise has also been an important fundraising opportunity for the fire department. Ben & Jerry’s stores nationwide do a free cone day in the spring, in which customers are asked to donate money to local charities and nonprofits. For the past 11 years the store in town has given its proceeds to the fire department, totaling nearly $22,000.
Dish ‘n Dat is in the Shoppes at Farmington Valley plaza at 110 Albany Turnpike.