General

[SuperHiQuality87]

First, I would like to just say that I'm really proud that somthing like this happened. I can't really think of any more ways that this could have been more positive. You can tell this guy REALLY tried to give the fundraiser the absolutely best possible image.

Secondly, let me just excuse myself for this article being almost a month old; I was cleaning up and found this article that I had cut out for the sole purpose of posting here.

Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 directly quoted from the Asbury Park Press:

Lock and Load
Paintball raises funds for fire co.

By PAULA SCULLY
Staff Writer

TUCKERTON - Twenty-one teams showed up at All Wars Memorial Field on Bay Avenue last sunday for the Paintball Challenge benifiting Tuckerton Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 - the first fundraiser of its kind for the fire company. Mike Papa, owner of West Creek paintball, organized the event with Carl Ulrich, a member of the fire company. "We fired thousands of rounds on that field. I think we fired 196,000 paintball on that field," Papa said. "We had to clean up but it cleaned up beautifully. I made sure the paintballs themselves were a light green and dark green so I protected the borough's property from any eyesore whatsoever. Whatever residue is left is going to disappear with the weather and not be noticed," he said.

The challenge raised $2,500 for the Tuckerton Voulunteer Fire Company No. 1.

Papa said a reason the fundraiser came in shy of its goal of $4,000 had to do with expenses, some of the prizes and renting the field. But the fire company made money. "They're in the black. They totally came out on top," he said. "I'm pleased but with a little more sponsorship and effort by everyone, we could make it better next time." Twenty-two teams signed up but one of the teams had a prior obligation with the Boy Scouts and could not attend. "They lost their entrance fee," he said. "I feel bad about that but in a way, they just made a donation to the fire company." After a captain's meeting at 8a.m., the teams started playing at 9a.m. First place was won by Robtown Army, second place by A.D.D. Kids, and third place by Serenity. all of the winning teams received prizes and trophies. Other fire companies entered teams, he said, and the players asked how they could arrange a fundraiser like it for their own fire company. "I told them it's definatley logistically difficult but if you get together and pool all your resources, it's achieveable," Papa said. He said he has never heard another municipality allow the use of their field for a paintball competition. "They could have said no," he said, "and this would have never happened."

Cheers;
III

[BlindeSeher]

The experiences of the Umbrellamen with fire companies have always been positive, especially the Shawnee Volunteer Fire Company in Wheatfield, NY. I'm glad to see that paintball and firefighting have gone well together yet again.

[P3sWench]

As a retired Fire Captain, things like this make me really happy to see. I know that a lot of the "kids" I had coming up under me loved it when our fundraisers were "fun" instead of just standing around in parade gear looking pretty. I always hated that s**t too.

And clean-up is really easy if you just hook up a couple of 1 1/2" hand lines and run the pump on the engine up to oh... 100 PSI.