Wal-Mart Shopping Cart Wheels in Motion For Sincerely Santa

 
Thursday, Dec. 17, 8 a.m. – noon  
Wal-Mart, 949 E. Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon  
 
Hillsborough County Firefighter David Raasch has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 Chet Tharpe Firefighter of the Year Award, created to recognize an outstanding career or volunteer suppression member or fire company for service above and beyond the call of duty.  
 
Raasch has taken the lead to continue Hillsborough County Fire Rescue’s Sincerely Santa program at a time when other agencies no longer participate. Joyful children are the end result of hundreds of hours Raasch spends soliciting gifts, identifying districts where children need it most and distributing gift bags to stations.  
 
Fire Rescue’s Sincerely Santa program has delivered more than 100,000 packages to children throughout its 23-year history. This year, the department has received 1,000 letters and Sincerely Santa helpers will put Wal-Mart shopping cart wheels in motion to shop for items on these wish lists. Wal-Mart generously supports Fire Rescue’s Sincerely Santa program every year by donating the majority of gifts. Raasch will be on hand to coordinate each shopping event.  
 
More about Raasch & the Firefighter of the Year Award 
 
Raasch has also been instrumental in supporting Fire Rescue’s military deployed personnel. With the help of Shift Commander Chris Reynolds, Raasch has arranged welcome home celebrations, maintenance days, and media coverage for men and women serving in the military. His effort to ensure that no soldier returns from a combat zone to a dilapidated house or without any fanfare has been unprecedented in Fire Rescue’s history.  
 
Raasch has worked with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue for more than 14 years, and currently works at Station 11 in Brandon. Throughout the year, he assists with fundraisers for victims of violence, arranges fire station tours for severely handicapped children and provided medical response coverage for the Special Olympics.  
 
The Board of County Commissioners presented Raasch with the Firefighter of the Year Award during a regular meeting that took place Oct. 7, 2009. 
 
The Chet Tharpe Firefighter of the Year Award was established in 1993 and is named in honor of the first Fire Marshal and Fire Chief, who served Hillsborough County from 1971-1985. Nominations submitted throughout the year are reviewed by an awards committee made up of supervisors, coworkers and union representatives. Previous recipients have demonstrated outstanding heroism, program development, chaplain duties, Honor Guard duties and fire prevention efforts. This award has also been presented posthumously.