Burlington firefighters smash Movember goals

A group of professional firefighters from Burlington celebrated a successful Movember campaign that raised more than $10,000 for charities focused on men's health, prostate and testicular cancers, and suicide prevention.

Fourteen firemen from Local 1552 took up the challenge to grow out their moustaches for the cause this year.

Organizer Ryan Gallagher said the union has been raising funds through facial hair for a number of years.

"Each year the Burlington Professional Firefighters Association L1552 raises funds and awareness for the Movember Foundation," he said. "We want to keep the conversation going around mental health and men's cancers, which are extremely important to us because we all know someone that has been affected by one or both of these."

The Movember team this year included Gallagher, Brett Moss, Cory Curtis, Simon Smith, Chris Grieve, Ben Addison, Steve Jones, Vince De Civita, Frank Deflice, Jon Robillard, Mike Moffat, Daniel Prisen, Eric Desrochers and Andrew Page.

The team raised $10,677, just topping last year's total of $10,416. In addition to growing out their moustaches, the firefighters also run a Movember hockey tournament.

"We raise awareness and funds by running various events through the month or November," Gallagher said. "This year we celebrated the 5th annual BPFA L1552 Movember Hockey tournament which raised just under $4,000 and hosted various Fire Departments from around the area."

The team will be back with bigger and better 'stache efforts next year and hope to top their total again.