Fire Truck Pull

It wasn’t even close. 

John Burke High School’s boys ‘3A’ softball team took on the Grand Bank Fire Department in a lighthearted event Oct. 17.

Members of the fire department were quick to point out they were significantly outnumbered.

It was part of a fundraising initiative to help send the boy to Glovertown for the provincial ‘3A’ tournament this past weekend.

Each side was tasked with pulling a fire truck from one end of the school’s parking lot to the other.

To be fair, there were only eight men on the fire department side to the 15-member softball team.

The boys completed the pull in a blazing 41 seconds, while the firefighters had a little tougher time getting the truck to move and finished in a final time of 1:27 seconds.

Coach Dale Parsons acknowledged it was all in good fun.

“When we had a parents’ meeting shortly after we won regionals to get some fundraisers together, I mentioned putting out sponsor sheets. One of the parents said, ‘Well, it’s be nice if they had to do something for the money.’ Somebody mentioned a lap-a-thon and wake-a-thon.”

Parsons suggested a truck pull and contacted the firefighters, who readily agreed.

Cars lined up across the front of the school honked and people cheered as the boys and the firefighters heaved and hauled.

“I was really pleased with the number of people who showed up and showed their support through donating to the boys.”

The team wished to thank parents who helped with fundraising, the fire department, the Town of Grand Bank and the RCMP, who sent an officer along for safety purposes.

pherridge@southerngazette.ca