Brownsville Fire Company, received a $2,500 gift from Compeer Home in recognition of their selfless service to others. The gifts are in honor of National Heroes Day, founded in the aftermath of the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting on July 20, 2012, to pay tribute to everyday heroes – from first responders to civilians who jump into action without regard to their own safety.
Jenifer Oechsner, one of Brownsville’s volunteer emergency medical responders, nominated the department. “When I go on a call, I’m never alone, and when I read about how Compeer Home was recognizing volunteers this Heroes Day, I wanted to give back to everybody,” Oechsner said. “We’re very appreciative of this gift. There are so many apparatuses that we need and can’t afford. We’ll get on a call and think, ‘I wish we had this to help us.’ With this extra funding, we hope we can turn some of those wishes into realities.”
Compeer Home, a division of Compeer Financial, launched the National Heroes Day Giveaway to champion the vital role volunteer departments play across rural America. Volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments are the backbone to keeping rural communities safe, yet they are often operating with limited resources. The three winners were drawn from 1,429 departments that were nominated across Compeer Home’s 144-county territory in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“In rural communities, everyday heroes live alongside us – ready to answer a call for help at any hour, in any condition, sometimes in a family’s darkest times,” said Karen Schieler, manager of corporate giving at Compeer Financial. “Our volunteer first responders make rural communities a better and safer place to live. We are grateful to celebrate them, as they give of themselves in service to others. There are no bigger heroes than them.”
