Believe 271 Foundation Year in Review 2024
"This Community Makes a Difference"
By: Brian McQueen, President
Your Board: Vice President Fred Sherman, Secretary/Asst Treasurer Betsy Schwertfeger, Treasurer/Corresponding Secretary Donna Grems, Christy DeKing, Eric DeKing, Dave Jones, Sarah McQueen, Daniel Mabbett, Daniel Schwertfeger, Dean Yauger
Dr. Seuss shares a lesson with all of us. "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It is not." As we complete our plans for the holiday season with our families and friends, we can be thankful and appreciative of our community support as well as our fire service support over this past year. All of you in Oneida and Herkimer counties can stand tall for making a difference in the lives of those battling cancer and life-threatening illnesses.
Over this past year, we have continued to hear the heart wrenching of stories of volunteer firefighters, EMT's and ladies' auxiliary members who have been diagnosed with cancer and life-threatening illnesses. All our Foundation's volunteer Board have stepped in to attack this horrible disease providing fiscal, social and emotional support for the firefighters and their families. Unfortunately, we lost some dedicated volunteer firefighter recipients who we have supported over the years, and it is through those losses that continue to motivate us to make sure no one walks the walk of cancer alone. While we may have lost the support for early screenings for firefighters through New York State, we will never give up the research and data that proves that early screenings save lives of those who save yours.
In 2014, when Brian Palmer, Brian Healey, Brian Destefanis, and many members of the Barneveld Fire Department wanted to help one of their own who was in a cancer battle of a lifetime they broke down barriers because that is what they were taught to do as volunteers. Those leaders in their respective fire departments had a vision, and that vision built the Believe 271 Foundation Inc., a 501 C3 Not for Profit that has had influence in the lives of so many.
This area builds itself on the thoughts that the purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others. This was never so clear as the day that the Matthew and Lisa Wilsey family walked through the front doors of the Stanley Theater at our first fundraiser and have been there for this Foundation ever since. Because of their support and generous donation, we presented 4-$500.00 scholarships in the name of Gregory Wilsey, Matt's dad and founder of NYS Tool in Chadwick's, NY this past year. Their untiring support for not just our Foundation, but this entire community, is a model that makes people understand why this is such a great place to live and raise their families.
Once again, this year Frank and Colleen Mastrovito and their team at Mastrovito Hyundai stepped in and sponsored this year's Seventh Annual Believe Bowl at Utica University. We honored two Captains this year, Utica Firefighter Esher Kanyaw and Sylvan Beach Firefighter Colin Isom. Just being there and seeing the interaction of the players, coaches and the support from their fire departments and fans was amazing. Thanks to Coach Blaise Faggiano, Athletic Director Dave Fontaine, President Dr. Todd Pfannenstiel for supporting this unique college football event for our volunteer firefighters in this area.
This past year, CNY Stair Climb, under the leadership of Chief Jeff Burkhart once again chose our Foundation to be one of the recipients from its successful event held in downtown Utica this past September. Fred Sherman, along with his team from Western FD sponsored our Annual Bowling Tournament at Vista Lanes in January and that was highly successful once again bringing in bowlers from Oneida and Herkimer Counties. In keeping with our bowling, Board member Dean Yauger and his team from the Boonville FD, and the entire community of Boonville, NY, sponsored a bowling tournament that brought the battle of the North Country departments under one roof.
Our events continued in April with the Deerfield Fire Department's Fish Fry for Believe. What can I say about the DFD family and their untiring support for this Foundation since its start? Truly if you have never been to one of their fish fries, make it a point in 2025 to support those who support you. Since our start in 2014, the Deerfield FD has provided us with financial support from this special fish fry that has allowed us to execute our mission. We then moved to a very successful motorcycle ride sponsored by the local chapter of the Red Knights and co-sponsored by the Westmoreland Fire Department. Over 120 riders made the trek from Westmoreland FD, through the counties of Oneida, Herkimer, and Otsego on that beautiful first Saturday of June. Seeing SO MANY fire departments along the route, Stars and Stripes draped from ladder trucks throughout, firefighter honor guards standing in front of their stations saluting the riders as they rode by, the escort of the Oneida and Herkimer County Sheriffs and the planned and guided route by Dave and Dana Olney was just amazing. We stopped prior to our return at Harley-Davidson in New York Mills and received a monetary donation from the management of that store donation. Hats off to Chief Jeff Grube and his volunteer firefighters who once again spent all day cooking for the riders upon their return and to the planning committee from the Red Knights and Believe 271, thank you!
In July, we were invited once again to the New Hartford Fire Department Truck Show where we were able to share our merchandise, receive a monetary gift from the NHFD, present one of their own that evening with a support check, and we thank those who stopped by for their support. NHFD has been a long-time supporter since our start, and we thank them for that.
Next event on July 28th was the Believe 271/Robert LeBuis Memorial Golf Tournament held at the Twin Ponds Golf and Country Club. This tournament was renamed by our Board last fall in honor of our past Treasurer Emeritus Robert LeBuis. We want to thank the thirty-six foursomes, the countless volunteers that helped us that day, and our sponsors for making this year's golf tournament the best yet! In 2025 we once again will host this tournament on the last Sunday of July at Twin Ponds. I encourage those who want to play in this special 12th Anniversary event to get their reservations early as this one will fill up fast.
On October 19 we held our Pink Tie Gala at Harts Hill Inn. This year was our largest attendance with over 330 in attendance. A special thank you to Dave and Dana Olney who provided our music and photos and to those who provided auction items from all over Oneida and Herkimer counties. The 2025 Pink Tie Gala 2024 is already in the planning stages to be held at Harts Hill Inn on October 18, 2025.
I passionately believe that the success of this Foundation has always been built on you. our volunteer fire departments, sponsors, Friends of Believe 271, our friends of Believe 31 who have attended many of our events, and those anonymous donations that are sent to us in honor of someone near and dear to their hearts who might have passed away. The eleven members volunteering on this Board are a special act of heroism on a grand scale. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. To our community, we call you Believers, thank you for your generous support since our Foundation began ten years ago. Just this year we provided 15 checks to15 recipients giving out $57,800, to firefighters and ladies auxiliary members in 14 different departments. Since our start in 2014, we have provided $442,992.00 to134 volunteer firefighters and ladies auxiliary members allowing them fiscal support for their medical treatments locally and across this state and the northeast. Understanding the excessive cost of medical treatments, travel and stays at locations away from their homes, this Foundation has made the lives of those battling cancer that much better because of you.
Mother Teresa taught us that, "We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something." I am sure that those that read this end-of-year report know somebody they love, know somebody in their family or themselves that have battled cancer. It is not easy being diagnosed with cancer. For most people with cancer, learning to live with the disease is one of the biggest challenges they have ever faced. That is because having cancer touches every part of your life and the lives of those around you.
In closing, our mission will continue in 2025 thanks to each of you who make this community so great. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.
