by Alan Stameisen

Volunteer Firefighter/EMT

This guest column is in response to a letter in the Sounder regarding the 2017 calendar “Orcas Volunteers Exposed For Charity.”

I would like to start by stating I do respect the writer’s opinion in regard to the amount of skin that was exposed by some in the calendar. In fact, the letter brought to light the misconception/misunderstanding for the purpose of the calendar and who was behind the calendar. So I hope the writer will be receptive to my explanations and reasons for the “Who, What, When, Where and Why” of the calendar.

First, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue does not get credit for the calendar. This credit needs to go to the Ovolunteers who where willing to expose themselves in the name of charity with proceeds going to the Orcas Island Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Association – and not to forget those who spent their own money, time and physical labor to organize and produce the calendar. We had people flying in from as far away as Southern California, on their own dime, to help make this fundraising possible.

I would also like to explain why we, the volunteers, chose Orcas Island Volunteer Firefighter/EMT Association for the recipients of any proceeds made from the sale of the calendar.

Yes, I happen to sit on the board for the association and yes, I might be a little biased as to what the association does for its members and this community. In fact, it would take another letter to even touch on just some of what the association does – not to mention many of its members giving their own time and money to help others.

A few examples of what the association does and who they support include scholarships for Orcas student college education and donations in the form of money, food and furnishings to Orcas families in need of extra help. This could be because of a fire, natural disaster or unexpected death in the family. The association also has a Sunshine Fund used to help our volunteers who have fallen on hard times. Some of the many reasons might be for medical bills, doctors visits, transportation on and off island for advanced medical care, rent money because of an unexpected loss of a job and food for the table. All of this helps the volunteers, who even during their own time of need, are willing to get out of bed at 2 a.m. for an emergency call to help their fellow Orcas residents, neighbors and friends in time of need.

It is these volunteers I speak of, myself included, who were willing to expose themselves in the name of giving and charity for others in a time of need, a time when a little extra help might just make a big difference in the existence of themselves and/or their family-a reason to help them stay on island and allowing them/us to continue to help others on Orcas.

One last thing I would like to add about the association. We also give to those who suffered a loss off-island. For example, we gave money to help a firefighter and his family who lost everything, including his dog, during the Oso,Wash. fire.

All of that being said, we were willing to expose ourselves to the world to help raise money for a good cause. These firefighter/EMT calendars are something many paid and volunteer first responders do around the nation and the world to raise money for their favorite causes.

Denver Fire just did the same as Orcas by exposing themselves to help raise money to fight leukemia, a common cancer found in firefighters and the cancer that took my brother’s life. He was a Los Angeles City fallen firefighter.

As to those who participated in the calendar, they did so in anyway they wanted or at whatever level of exposure they felt comfortable. Some were fully clothed in their first responder gear, some exposed a single thigh and some, well, let’s just say were a lot braver then I was but still keeping it to a PG rating.

I’m just amazed that anyone would want to look at my 60-year-old exposed, horizontally challenged body. When I was asked to participate in the calendar my comment was, “What have you been smoking?”

Then I was shown the “Calendar Girl’s” calendar with some very brave actors of Orcas exposed, just like us volunteers, for a good cause. I thought if they can do this, then I sure could.

On the good side of seeing myself in print, I have put diet, exercise and healthy food back into my vocabulary and routine. Yes, I have lost 35 pounds since the making of the calendar and feel so much better and healthy, hopefully giving me more years to serve you and the Orcas community as a firefighter/EMT.

I would like to thank Darvill’s Bookstore, Crow Valley Pottery, Orcas Landing, Eastsound Kennels and many stores around Orcas that have chosen to help sell the calendars. I must say they have been selling like hot cakes. I would like to thank Barbara Bedell for believing in the volunteer association and wanting to help raise money for its causes. I would also like to thank the paid first responders and the fire commissioners who joined in to help the volunteers.

We had a great time in the making of the calendar. It brought some wonderful teamwork and camaraderie to the volunteers. We even worked in some drill time in the making of the calendar.