MONROE — Firefighters in Monroe have a lot of climbing to do.
Their big stair climbing competition is coming up in Seattle in March.
About 1,500 firefighters from around the country compete at the Firefighter Stairclimb challenge at the Columbia Center tower every year. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society hosts the event to raise money for treating leukemia and blood cancers.
This year, Monroe is sending a record 11 firefighters to compete.
They’re already practicing, firefighter Ray Sayah said. Climbing 69 flights of stairs in full firefighting gear is no easy task.
To get ready, Monroe firefighters have beefed up their workouts, he said. They are snowshoeing up steep trails in the Cascades and exercising while dragging heavy sleds, among other training techniques.
They are working out nonstop and improving their nutrition, Sayah said.
In addition, two public events are planned to help them raise money for the cause.
They will be breaking a sweat on stairclimbers at Monroe grocery stores twice this month. They’ll be at Fred Meyer in Monroe from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and at the same time at Albertsons in Monroe on Feb. 26.
“We like to show how committed we are to the cause,” Sayah said.
They will have a boot for donations at both events, and they’ve also been collecting donations from family and friends, he said. There also are donation boxes at businesses around Monroe.
“We hope to see people on their way to their Super Bowl shopping stop by and show us a little support, maybe throw a dollar in our boot and find out a little about our cause,” he said.
For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/teammonroe.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
Fundraisers
Monroe firefighters will be raising money for treating leukemia and blood cancers all month.
In addition to donation boxes around town, two fundraisers are planned:
•10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Fred Meyer
•10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 26, Albertsons
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