With Plymouth Fire Fighter John Pasley retiring in early August, volunteer firefighter Daren Miller has stepped up to handle rallying firefighters from the area to participate in this year’s Riley Gear Run.
Firefighters from across Michiana; from Plymouth, Lakeville, Nappanee, South Bend, Goshen and LaPorte will be running the 15K Blueberry Stomp in full firefighting gear for the Riley Gear Run. The race starts at 9 a.m. just before the beginning of Monday’s Blueberry Festival Parade.
The Riley Gear Run is in its fourth year and raises money for Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. The funds will help buy items for the Magic Castle Cart which makes weekly trips through the halls of the hospital providing gifts and activities for in-patient children.
Firefighters running and fire department with participants have been gathering donations for this year’s run. In 2014 just over $13,000 was raised and in the last three years the grand total is over $23,000.
Plymouth Firefighter Darren Miller said the race can be pretty difficult and takes a lot of training beforehand. Running 9.3 miles with an additional 50 pounds of gear on your back is a stress on the body and wearing protective gear that is made to keep the heat of a fire from getting to your body doesn’t allow you to get air. With the expected 89 plus degree Labor Day it will be taxing on the firefighters running.
Donation fire-boots have been set placed throughout Plymouth and everyone interested in donation to the cause can drop donations into the boots or you can drop them off at the Plymouth Fire House or you can donate on line by clicking on line at the link http://donate.rileykids.org/site/TR?fr_id=2510&pg=entry
Firefighters will also be along the race route Monday collecting donations from those gathered to watch the Marshall County Blueberry Festival Parade.
