The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Shirley Linder, Quill Editor
If you were driving down the highway and saw a pink fire truck I'm sure you would do a double take, but, on Saturday, September 10th, just such a truck rolled into West Burlington, IA.
Guardians of the Ribbon, Greater Kansas City Chapter's pink fire truck, driven by Dave Gardner rolled into circle drive at Great River Hospice, with sirens blaring and lights flashing around 10 a.m.
It was accompanied by a West Burlington, Iowa fire department fire truck manned with firemen wearing pink shirts.
Cancer survivors and loved ones were encouraged to sign the fire truck with a marker.
Gardner said, "I'll put a coat of shellac over the truck later in the season to protect the names from fading and smearing."
The Greater Kansas City Chapter has two trucks, one named JennieLee and the other Deb.
Jennie Lee was named after Dave's aunt and his wife, Holly's, mother. The truck named Deb, which was unable to come due to mechanical difficulty, was named after a breast cancer survivor.
The pink fire truck campaign is a chance for the community to show their support and to help raise awareness and funds for local women's cancer groups.
JennieLee was painted in May 2011 and has been on the road ever since, having driven 560 miles since Thursday, September 8th to the 10th.
The Great River Hospice was just one of several stops, leaving there they were to make house calls at 3 individual houses, spend time at Great River Medical Center in the afternoon, by the pink fountain, then on to a street party in West Burlington, IA.
Proceeds raised were to support the Great River Palliative Care, a new service of Great River Hospice.
MST Fireman Marvin Linder (Carman), has his spirits lifted, while by his wife's side in the Great River Hospice house in West Burlington, IA. The West Burlington fireman scheduled in the "Pink Fire Truck" from Kansas City, to encourage Marvin and others who are going through tough times with cancer in their families.