A friendly bet between firefighters concluded Tuesday with a shiny, clean firetruck and thousands of dollars raised for charity.
"We happened to come out on top," said Capt. Wayne Odom, president of the Longview Professional Firefighters Association.
Les Hassell/News-Journal Photo |
Firefighters from Longview and Tyler, along with representatives from the Muscular Dystrophy Association chat Tuesday. A friendly wager between the two departments over who could raise the most money for MDA resulted in the Tyler firefighters having to wash one of Longview's firetrucks.
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To help raise funds and awareness for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Longview and Tyler fire departments agreed to spend a weekend in August raising money in their cities. The losing department would wash a firetruck of the winner.
The Longview Fire Department defeated its Tyler counterpart by bringing in more than $26,400, more than $6,000 above the Tyler department's $20,100, according to the MDA. Each department broke its own fundraising records in the challenge, raising a total of $46,500.
Tyler Fire Investigator Tony Gumber and a small group of Tyler firefighters drove to Longview on Tuesday to pay off their debt. About 10 Tyler firefighters used brushes and hoses to scrub a Longview firetruck as a group of Longview firefighters cheered them on. The Tyler firefighters sprayed the Longview group at least once.
"We can make a good day out of anything," Gumber said.
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Amount raised in the competition for the MDA
- Longview FD: $26,400
- Tyler FD: $20,100
- Total: $46,500
Source: MDA East Texas
