Harvey Cedars Fire Company In LBI Seek Donations Through GoFundMe

LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ — Uncertain whether in-person events will be possible this year after all of their fundraisers were canceled in 2020, the High Point Volunteer Fire Company in Harvey Cedars has launched a GoFundMe page.

Craig Coddington, company president, said most of their funding comes from two annual fundraisers — the Striper Shootout Fishing Tournament in June and the Dog Day 5 Mile Road Race in August, which were both canceled last year amid the pandemic. Coddington said it was the first time the race had been canceled in 42 years.

At the moment, Coddington said the company is unsure whether they will be able to organize these fundraisers that typically attract thousands of people in 2021.

Despite not hosting in-person fundraisers, the company still relies on donations to cover much-needed expenses. Until recently, the only way to contribute money to the company was by check. However the company recently updated their website and organized a GoFundMe to make donating more accessible to residents.

“We are really old school. You couldn’t even pay a donation with a credit card until two weeks ago. Now on our website, you can donate money with PayPal or any credit card,” Coddington told Patch.

The company's expenses include upgrades to the entire radio and communications network to conform with all emergency state and local services, as well as protective equipment for each firefighter. According to Coddington, individual companies are solely responsible for the cost.

“This is an almost unreachable amount due to the pandemic restrictions and our savings are dwindling rapidly. Any amount donated would help immensely,” Coddington wrote on the GoFundMe page.

In addition to the GoFundMe, donation requests will be solicited to homeowners who live in the coverage area, which includes Harvey Cedars and parts of the North Beach and Loveladies sections of Long Beach Township.

“A lot of the locals and the people here, they understand the situation we’re in, fortunately,” Coddington said.

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