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BLAINE, Minn — Police officers and firefighters have always had a bit of a rivalry, but Friday night saw a moment of unity.
“It’s just to really have fun and enjoy it,” Patrick Graves with the Blaine Police Department said. “It’s one day, one night, let’s make it count.”
Those first responders took to the ice for the ninth annual Guns-N-Hoses Charity Hockey Event. Proceeds raised will be donated to the Front Line Foundation, which supports families of fallen first responders.
“They provide that funding to those families who need that money to fill in the gap between when the bills keep piling up, and the income stops coming in before the benefits kick in. and the mortgage keeps being due, the bills keep coming due,” event organizer Wes Pederson said. “The Front Line Foundation fills that void.”
This game comes just days after the one-year mark of the two Burnsville police officers and firefighter-paramedic killed in the line of duty.
“Oh, 100%, on every level it’s bigger than the game, the whole entire night and everything leading up to it is about doing things for other people,” Brett Mcreavy with the Lino Lakes fire department, said.
The Blaine Super Rink was packed with supporters as the two sides played. This event has grown over the past nine years, starting with just a few people to where it is now.
Pederson says they raised $60,000 last year, hoping to surpass that this year.
“I would love to see us break $100,000 this year,” Pederson said.
“We wanna support them in any way we possibly can, and that’s what tonight is all about,” he continued.
To date, this event has raised more than $300,000.
The police officers won Friday night’s game 3-1. Pederson says they’re still counting up donations, but told KARE 11 it was a “good night.”
