Neighbor News
The Front Line Foundation Receives One of its’ Largest Gifts Ever
Partnership will continue with first annual Guns and Hoses Golf Tournament on August 23 in Lino Lakes
The Front Line Foundation (TFLF) announced today it has been granted one of its’ largest donations to date. Recently, TFLF was awarded a check for $60,014.82 from Lino Lakes Volunteers in Public Safety (LLVIPS), who donated all proceeds from their February 23 Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey game at the Blaine Super Rink to the Foundation.
Now in its eighth year, the annual Guns and Hoses hockey game pits Law Enforcement Officers (Guns) versus Firefighters (Hoses) from Anoka County and surrounding counties. To date, the event has raised more than $310,000 for benefactors that serve first responders.
The charity game was played just five days after three Burnsville first responders were killed in the line of duty. Even before the game took place, TFLF had already granted a total of $60,000 in death benefits to the families of Burnsville Police Officers, Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27 and Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic for the city who were all killed while reporting to a domestic violence and hostage crisis in the city.
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With the memories of those first responders and their tragic deaths top-of-mind, attendees of the charity hockey game dug deep to support the mission of TFLF.
“We are beyond humbled for this substantial and thoughtful donation,” Suzanne Holt, President and CEO of TFLF. “As organizations we are closely aligned to do all we can to support the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every single day.”
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Since its inception in late 2018, The Front Line Foundation has supported Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, EMTs and members of the National Guard across Minnesota, to grant financial support to families of first responders who have died in the line of duty. The Foundation’s mission is to bridge the gap between the death and benefits being paid, which can help families with ongoing expenses. The Foundation also provides support in the purchase of tactical equipment for first responders which is not included in department budgets. To date The Frontline Foundation has paid out $520,000 in death benefits and equipment funding.
Wes Pederson, Chair of LLVIPS, said that the outpouring of support for TFLF and its mission was a win-win situation for all involved.
“The bottom line is that this event made a difference at a very sad and challenging time,” said Pederson. “People stepped up to the plate big time. We are extremely fortunate to have the support we have seen through the years at this event.”
Because of the success of the charity hockey game back in February, both organizations are teaming up again to support Minnesota’s first responder community.
On Friday, August 23 LLVIPS will host its first charity golf tournament at Chomonix Golf Course in Lino Lakes. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the tournament will be donated to TFLF to further their scope of support. LLVIPS is currently looking for volunteers and sponsors for the event.
“We are thrilled to once again work with Wes and his group,” said Holt. “To say we are humbled by this support would be an understatement.”
About The Front Line Foundation:
The Front Line Foundation began as an attempt to help and support our Fallen Heroes, including Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, EMTs, and the Minnesota National Guard. The Frontline Foundation provides support to those who died while in the line of duty, by giving benefit payments to dependents of fallen first responders. Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, and EMT First Responders face armed and dangerous criminals, impaired individuals wielding weapons, even emotionally charged, and threatening domestic disputes. They are The Front Line Defenders of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities who face and diffuse the high-risk, frequently appalling situations we know or hear about, with disbelief, on the news. In addition to providing endowments and support for the families of fallen heroes, The Front Line Foundation will underwrite scholarships and training registration costs for Front Line personnel as well as support preparedness training for safety officers in hospitals, schools, and places of worship. Further, we assist with the purchase of needed safety and tactical equipment not currently within the budget of the local unit of government. For more information, please visit www.thefrontlinemn.org
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