Powell Butte man raises funds for future firefighters

A total of 343 firefighters died during the attacks on 9/11.

On Saturday, the owner of Big Al’s Firehouse Grill wanted to honor them, as well as help future firefighters.

Allan Edwards owns Big Al’s Firehouse Grill in Powell Butte.

Edwards was a firefighter himself and personally knew one of the fallen firefighters.

So he threw a fund-raiser Saturday.

Some of the events included a fireman’s axe-throwing contest, a chicken poop contest, and a fire truck parade.

All for the message, “We will never forget.”

“Over 10 percent of the people who died in 9/11 were firefighters doing their job, and all the firefighters in the surrounding areas, we all do our job,” Edwards said. “But we need money for training. We need money to get young rookies on board, the best training we can give them.”

There was one setback before Saturday’s event though: Somebody broke into their warehouse and stole all the beer donated by Boneyard Brewing.

If you would like to donate to help future firefighters, Edwards has a fund set up at Wells Fargo under “Fallen Firefighters.”