A ceremony at Scott Stadium Saturday before the football game against Duke provided a unique opportunity for those in attendance to honor New York firefighters in the wake of the national tragedies on Sept. 11.
Before the game, the Charlottesville Fire Department presented four New York firefighters with a donation to the department totaling more than $250,000.
The exact figure of the contribution is not known because the department still is receiving donations.
The athletics promotion staff along with Gerry Capone, associate director of athletics for football operations, developed the idea to honor the New York firefighters before the game, Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage said. Capone has a cousin who works for the New York Fire Department.
The four firefighters were flown from New York on Carl Smith's private jet Friday afternoon. Smith is the alumnus who donated funds for the renovation of Scott Stadium.
In addition to the pre-game ceremony, the men were introduced at the pep rally on the Downtown Mall Friday night and had a chance to mingle with local firefighters at Wild Wing Cafe and BW3's over the weekend.
The visiting firefighters "were absolutely thrilled," Littlepage said. "They were in awe and the acknowledgement of our fans warmed their heart."
Battalion Comander David Hartman of the Charlottesville Fire Department, who showed the New York firefighters around on Friday, said the firefighters came to Charlottesville directly from ground zero at the World Trade Center site and that they still were numb from the experience.
"This was an opportunity for them to get out of town for three days and not have to deal with it [the tragedy]. The University and Charlottesville community showed them wonderful hospitality," Hartman said.
In the days since the tragedy, the Charlottesville Fire Department, along with several other volunteer and career fire departments in the area, collected donations in the form of a fill the "boot" and other independent efforts.
Along with the Charlottesville Fire Department, participating groups include the Albemarle County Fire Rescue Services, Charlottesville Professional Firefighters Association, Albemarle County Professional Firefighters Association, and the Crozet, Scottsville, Seminole Trail, Earlysville, Stony Point, East Rivanna and North Garden volunteer fire departments.
Hartman said that the cooperation from all the departments and from both volunteer and career firefighters was fantastic.
"The firefighters here in town are no different than the rest of the country," he said. "The business is a family like no other field of work."
The departments began by collecting money in their equipment boots at local street intersections from the Thursday through Sunday after the tragedy. Afterward, they left the boots at department stations and people came by continuously to donate. Groups, including a number of University organizations, Charlottesville High School and local businesses also ran donation drives to help the effort.
Hartman recalls leaving the station during the day and returning later to see over $1,500 in the boot outside.
The outpouring of support "was overwhelming for us. The desire of the University and the community to try and help was beyond understanding," he said.
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