Detroit Mutual Aid Mission Attack

 

Cake Girl Goes Home with Detroit Mutual Aid

 

This weekend I was honored and blessed to be a fly on the wall at many of  Detroit's Fire Houses, by being a tiny part of something huge. I got to tag along with FirefighterWife.com's Lori Mercer and help with her Detroit Care Pack Mission. We all know no one throws a party like a Firefighterwife party, right? I mean just check us out with these extraction tools! Makes you want to pitch right in!

FirefghterWife.com was asked be a guest of the National Firefighter Endowment, and join them in spreading some true love to our firefighting brothers in Detroit. We did what we do best, united and spreading the love! Wives all over the US came together to collect donations, make crafts and cookies, so we could  give warm fuzzies to the fire families, as a bonus to what AMAZING things that NFE was already doing. Even our tiny town's Hamburg Township Fire Department wives got together to make some items! A sisterhood member even drove over an hour to help! (Thanks Rebecca!) They sold Detroit Mutual Aid T-shirts to raise over $60,000 with t-shirt sales which was then leveraged with partner vendors to bring approximately $150,000 in new gear and equipment to Detroit.

 

The firefighters were so touched that wives like us, thought of them and their families that they leave behind each day to fight a new a dangerous battle.

If you follow me on FaceBook or Instagram, you saw this live as we traveled through the city. The National Firefighter Endowment to deliver equipment to these very deserving houses, Detroit Mutual Aid.

When I heard that there was a chance that I could help in any way give back to the city that raised me to be the brazen, tough, spunky, quirky, sarcastic, determined, surviving soulful singing girl I am, I was ecstatic to say the least.

Burning City

The city I knew, that we had to leave behind, was a place of strength, of enginuity, of pure industry and survival. Tough like the steel it produced in its cars. Yet at he same time, it was an enormous place of joy, love, and beautiful as the songs it birthed. All surrounded by red privacy fences and mall strips of grass and your one tree per yard, ours was the prettiest on the block in the fall. My heart nearly broke when we moved to the country. What else is a family to do when under attack, but run to safer ground? Well my 13 year old self wanted to fight, there in the battle grounds.

Well, my 34 year old self, can fight in another way.

Determined, leaving my sick kiddos behind, I put on my snow pants, except that they aren't pink anymore. I bobsledded my car through freezing temps and record snows, passing by pin outs and car accidents. Nothing could stop me from getting a chance to thank my brothers, and join arms with my sisters.


If you have ever seen the movie, or the trailer for BURN, this is what I am talking about. Our brothers, the men our husbands work with and depend on, are fighting a city burning down, while people shoot at them, without proper safety gear and equipment.

In all they visited 14 stations, 2 of which were shown in the Burn movie. I got to talk to Chris Palm, and several other who shared similar stories. People steal equipment right off the trucks. They come for food, we give it to them. Then, they make fake calls, and run in the opening doors to steal food, gear, and equipment. We talked about how sad it was, how torn your heart is for the need of the city, and of the station to save them from themselves. "The other day," Chris Palm pointed to a corner of the bay, "We backed the truck up and found a guy sleeping right there."

  Here is just one example of the beauty that lies here in the ruins and hope of a burning city. This old station actually faces the new one, surrounded by boarded up houses. ne of the firefighter here told me the neighbors paint pretend drapes on the boards to cheer up the atmosphere of the surrounding homes.

Driving through the city blocks was haunting in a way. I could hear kids playing, building snowmen, throwing a fat snowball at another, but there were no children to be seen.

In fact there are blocks upon blocks of beautiful old houses, taken my the streets, but still standing like a proud old man. Blocks of burnt, or half standing abandoned houses, with maybe one or two houses with residents in them. Gorgeous brick work, and architecture, make me long to jump in a time machine, so I can see it in its former shining glory.

Then, like little sparks flying up from a fire, little flickers of hope would rise in me. Powerful graffiti, with gorgeous and triumphant styles would peek out in between alleys. Alleys that are vacant to the passer by, but full of hope and perseverance to me.


This what runs in the veins of the Detroit Firefighters. Hope and perseverance. They are battling this city a blaze against all odds, and they do it with the grace an humility of a knight.

 They showed such a gracious, humble, appreciative side, I have been blessed beyond all measures to see.

 The knights in the patches, badges, and faded axes.

"It's been a long time since we've seen yellow on an ax." one Captain said. 

 

 

My eyes swelled with tears many times over gloves, flashlights, things our men don't think twice about. Tools that bring them home safe. Ones that every firefighter should have the RIGHT to have. That is NFE's mission, to help bring them home safe.

 

 

 Some Detroit VIP's, eager to show their appreciation for what NFE did too!

 

I mean who can say no to that face???

 

 

Who didn't want to be a fireman when they were growing up?!

 

 

Who's hearts wouldn't be full?!

 

 

Shane, from NFE,  THE Dan and Lori Mercer, and Me!

Kindness is contagious.

 Of course, as any good baby blogger would, my second favorite part was watching all of the "Big Wig Stars" of the fire world come together in real life was awesome.

 

Here is Rhett from The Fire Critic. My bestie Lori Mercer from Firefighterwife.com and her daughter!

 

There Lori and I are in front of a gorgeous motor city old school car. 

There with that amazing 'stach is Captain Willie Wines from Wooden Ladders and Iron Firemen. Ladies, both men love kilts almost as much as me. Plus they are stand up firemen with hearts of gold for this service and the well being of its people. Even The "Model City" Firefighter was there! I was like a groupie at a DTE music concert.  If you haven't go checkout there blog and subscribe today!

 

 

I felt like the dork tagging along, snapping pictures of the crews even, but I don't think anyone cared!

If I broke any baby blogger rules, no one told me! ;) 

 

 

Here is Channel 7's interview! Click Here For News Cast or Here!

 

 IF you didn't know, LIKES and SHARES are my LOVE language. ;)

Come sizzle on over to my Facebook page Holy Fire! Cake Girl!!!!

 

Thank you beautiful Detroit! The BIGGEST thank you goes to all of YOU who helped create craft, bake cookies, and shared all of those t-shirt promotion for #detroitmutualaid!

 

 

 If I actually get this published in time, tonight is the VERY last night you can purchase a #Detroitmutualaid t-shirt to help raise future funds too!
  You've got two hours! GO!!
<3 All my fiery heart
Lyn AKA CakeGirl