PHOTO: CODY BAHN, HOUSTON CHRONICLE / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER FIRE UP THE BANDS RAISED AT LEAST $20,000 IN TABLE SALES FOR THE CONROE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION SATURDAY AT THE PACIFIC YARD HOUSE IN DOWNTOWN CONROE. THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO RISE ONCE THE TOTAL IS TALLIED, INCLUDING WITH A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM A NEW BEER SERVED AT THE BENEFIT THIS YEAR, LOCAL 2731.
“IT’S GOOD,” TAYLOR BAETHGE OF SPRING SAID DESCRIBING THE BEER. “IT’S A GREAT CAUSE AND I’M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT.” SOUTHERN STAR BREWERY’S SPECIAL LIGHT EDITION OF THEIR SIGNATURE BOMBSHELL BLONDE BLEND IS A NEW PALE ALE CRAFT BEER NAMED FOR THE CONROE FIRE FIGHTER’S UNION CHAPTER. SOUTHERN STAR BREWERY’S TAP ROOM MANAGER, KEITH AMADOR, SAID THE NEW BEER WILL BE ON TAP FOR ANOTHER MONTH AT THE BREWERY ALONG WITH A SPECIALTY GLASS.
“TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR US BECAUSE WE GET TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY,” AMADOR SAID AT FIRE UP THE BANDS. “WITH THE CHARITABLE THINGS THEY DO, IT’S MIND-BLOWING. THIS IS AWESOME.” THIS YEAR ATTENDEES HAD A CHANCE TO SIP BEER TO CANNON BRAND, JOSH FULLER, AND ROGER CREAGER PERFORMING ON THE STAGE. LONGTIME CONROE RESIDENT MICHAL WORTHY, “THE COOL GRAMMY” OF BRAND, PROUDLY RECORDED A VIDEO ON HER PHONE.
“I LOVE GOING TO HIS CONCERTS, I THINK IT’S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL,” WORTHY, WHO ATTENDS ALL HER GRANDSON’S SHOWS, SAID. “I THINK IT IS AWESOME AND A GREAT CHARITY.” THE MUSIC LOVERS ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO ENJOY A RAFFLE AND AT LEAST 10 AUCTION ITEMS TO BID ON IN SUPPORT OF THE CAUSE, INCLUDING A CHARLIE DANIELS FIDDLE, GEORGE STRAIT GUITAR, AND SMOKE PIT DONATED BY WILKE'S BADASS PITS IN CONROE. “THEY ARE A BUNCH OF GOOD GUYS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE AND WE WANT TO HELP THEM OUT ANY WAY WE CAN,” BRIAN WILKE, WHO HAS HELPED SUPPORT THE EVENT ANNUALLY SINCE 2014. ONCE AGAIN SPONSORED BY FIRST FINANCIAL BANK, THIS IS THE NINTH YEAR FOR FIRE UP THE BANDS EVENT TO BE HELD AND THE SECOND YEAR TO BE HOSTED AT THE PACIFIC YARD HOUSE.
“IT’S JUST A GREAT WAY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND LET PEOPLE SEE THE VENUE THAT HAVEN’T SEEN IT BEFORE AND LISTEN TO SOME GREAT MUSIC," CONROE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND CONROE FIRE DEPARTMENT LT. LLOYD SANDEFER PLANS TO CELEBRATE THE BIG 10TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT NEXT YEAR AT THE PACIFIC YARD HOUSE. THIS YEAR’S EVENT SOLD OUT WITHIN THREE HOURS, SELLING EVERY SEAT IN THEIR CAPACITY FOR ABOUT 250 PEOPLE, HE ESTIMATED. “THE EVENT HAS GROWN DRASTICALLY OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS,” SANDEFER SAID LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM AT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
SINCE THE START, NEARLY A DECADE AGO, SANDEFER ESTIMATES FIRE UP THE BANDS HAS RAISED ABOUT $150,000 FOR VARIOUS CAUSES, INCLUDING MONTGOMERY COUNTY YOUTH SERVICES, THE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION AND THE CONROE VFW POST 4709. IT HAS ALSO HELPED THE FIRE FIGHTERS TRIPLE THEIR EFFORTS IN PROVIDING COATS FOR KIDS. “IT’S AN EDUCATION IF THEY COME TO IT AND AREN’T AWARE OF WHAT IT IS ABOUT,” VFW POST 4709 MEMBER AND RETIRED U.S. ARMY AIRBORNE RANGER, CAPTAIN JIM PFEIL, SAID. “IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW VALUABLE AND COMMUNITY-ORIENTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEIR ASSOCIATION, THE VETERAN ORGANIZATION, AND THE FOUNDATIONS THAT SUPPORT THEM—WHAT THEY ARE ALL ABOUT. AND IT MAY GET THEM TO THINK ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THEMSELVES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR.” RYAN REED WITH THE FOUNDATION, SAID THIS YEAR’S FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION’S BENEVOLENCE FUND FOR FIRE FIGHTERS EXPERIENCING HARDSHIP—FROM NATURAL DISASTERS TO MEDICAL BILLS. ABOUT 10 FIRE FIGHTERS WERE SUPPORTED IN 2019, INCLUDING THOSE RECOVERING FROM LOSING THEIR OWN HOMES TO FIRES AND FLOODS. THE FOUNDATION PLANS TO HOST ONCE AGAIN HOST THE NEXT BENEFIT EVENT, A REVIVED HAUNTED HOUSE, IN OCTOBER.
“THIS IS FUNDING EVERYTHING THAT WE DO,” REED SAID.
MELLSWORTH@HCNON
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