THE ROTARY FIREFIGHTERS HOME GALA WAS MARCH 24, 2018, AT THE JW MARRIOT HOTEL ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE GALLERIA. OUR COMMUNITY OWES HFD AND THE OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS MORE THAN WE CAN EVER SHOW. THEY RESCUED UNTOLD NUMBERS OF CITIZENS AND SAVED THE LIVES OF MANY DURING THE HURRICANE. THIS ANNUAL FIREFIGHTERS' HOME GALA WAS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE FIREFIGHTERS OUR THANKS AND SUPPORT BY HELPING TO PROVIDE FREE HOUSING FOR THOSE MEN AND WOMEN, WHILE BEING TREATED AT THE TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER, WHO ACQUIRE CANCER BY THEIR EXPOSURE TO CARCINOGENS IN THEIR WORK.
OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER WAS DR. ANTONIO DAJER, WHO WAS AND IS THE CHIEF EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR AT A HOSPITAL 4 BLOCKS FROM GROUND ZERO IN NEW YORK CITY WHEN THE 911 DISASTER OCCURRED. HIS ACCOUNT OF THAT TIME WAS VERY MEANINGFUL AND WORTH HEARING. TO READ A SHORT VERSION OF THAT DAYS' HOSPITAL EVENTS PLEASE CLICK HERE. THE HOUSTON, BELLAIRE AND WEST U FIRE CHIEFS, MANY CAPTAINS AND FIRE LIEUTENANTS AS WELL AS HOUSTON COUNCILMAN JACK CHRISTE WERE IN ATTENDANCE. THE ROTARY FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD WAS PRESENTED BY SENIOR DISTRICT CHIEF DAVID ELLIOTT AND RETIRED NYC LIEUTENANT JOE TRUILLO. OUR OWN ROTARIAN RETIRED FIRE CAPTAIN HOMERO PONCE-LOPEZ AND MC EARNIE MANOUSE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF INTRODUCING ALL OF THE PROGRAM. THE HOME THANKS ROTARIAN IRENE HICKEY FOR HER EXTREME LEADERSHIP AND THE MANY ROTARIANS WHO WORKED HOURS BEHIND THE SCENE TO MAKE THIS A WONDERFUL EVENT. WE ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR MANY GENEROUS DONORS WHO MADE THIS GALA A SUCCESS.