Burn patients win when St. Louis Park Firefighters play softball

On Friday, September 23, St. Louis Park firefighters Captain Mark Nelson and Sean McKenna arrived at Hennepin County Medical Center for a special delivery – a donation from their annual softball charity event played on September 10 at Dakota Park. Dr. George Peltier, Margaret Brunner, Alison Schramm, Steve Omodt and John O’Malley met the firefighters and accepted the donation on behalf of the Burn Center.

“This will help us provide some ‘nice to have’ items for pediatric patients in our newly remodeled Burn Center,” said Margaret Brunner, Clinical Care Supervisor. “We’re so grateful that they chose to support us with this donation, and it will greatly benefit our patients.”

The St. Louis Park Fire Department’s co-ed softball team began hosting a charitable softball game since 2001 when they raised money for the widows and children of first responders after the September 11 attacks. For the past 5 years, the team has donated the proceeds to HCMC’s Burn Center. 

“As firefighters, we may need HCMC’s services at some time, and we see firsthand how they care for patients,” said firefighter Sean McKenna. “We appreciate what they do.”

Captain Mark Nelson agreed. “HCMC’s Burn Unit is a county-wide resource and it benefits the whole community. We’re happy to support them in this way. And we also want to thank everyone who participated on game day – it’s always a fun opportunity for the community to get together for a great cause.”

HCMC’s remodeled Burn Center is scheduled to open in November, and the money received from the St. Louis Park Fire Department will be used to purchase items for the new playroom.  

Approximately 24 full-time firefighters, administrators and support staff are employed by St. Louis Park’s Fire Department, along with 30 paid-on-call firefighters. The Fire Department operates two fire stations in the St. Louis Park community that are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.