Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary Raise Funds For Breast Cancer Research

EAST HAVEN, CT — The East Haven Fire Department Company 1 Ladies Auxiliary does much to support the department, firefighters, and the community.

East Haven Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli pointed out that the Auxiliary respond to large-scale incidents and provide support and rehab for firefighters and collect donations to help fire victims, among myriad other altruistic duties.

And, they do things like hold events that raise money for groups outside of East Haven but no less important. Like their recent Oktoberfest Beer & Wine Tasting fundraiser at Cue & Brew in Branford on October 18. There, the women raised money for the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation.

A Southeastern Connecticut-based charitable organization founded in 2006 by two friends, Norma Logan, who died from breast cancer in 2006, and Sandy Maniscalco, who realized the need for a new kind of fundraising organization; not enough money was going to breast cancer research. TBBCF was established to honor Terri Brodeur, a young mother of three, who succumbed to the disease in 2005 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. One hundred percent of the funds the Foundation receives goes directly to research. Some 65 research grants totaling $6.3 million have been funded.

"The Foundation is deeply grateful to all the many community groups, schools and students, agencies, businesses, walkers, and sponsors for helping us fund research to find a cure," TBBCF co-founder Maniscalco said. The Foundation's signature event, the Walk for a Cure across Southeastern Connecticut, was held Oct. 5.