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Month: July 2013

New challenges lay ahead…

New challenges lay ahead…

It seems every year I’m doing something different in my fundraisers, either in the prep work or in where I am being involved.  This year will be no different, but boy are the changes going to be bigger.  Not only have I added a new StairMaster machine to the garage, but also custom gear and kept up with specific routines that I normally would not start until the fall.  Probably the largest change that will affect participation and competition in the long run is the addition of new events throughout the year.

I am 11 days away from the Hero Challenge that’s being held at Snow Trails in Mansfield, Ohio.  The challenge is a 5k event with over 27 obstacles along the course all to benefit  Washington Twp Firefighter Joe Tadijanac.  Brother Tadijanac was injured while on the scene of a fire, resulting in
the loss of both legs above the knee.  This is the second year for the event, but my first for this type of course.  I am excited but nervous in the same.

Even more of a challenge for me will be the completion of my first run in full turnout gear.  I’ve completed 5k and 5-mile runs, but never pushed myself to try them in full gear until following several brother firefighters in Northern Ohio that were doing just that.  What more fitting of a run that to start this on?!  Fortunately my gear vendor just delivered my new Fire-Dex last week, so I am certainly looking forward to putting it to the test!

Keep checking back as I add more updates on the challenges and add new features to the site.  I hope to have some tips and help for new climbers coming in the very near future!

 

Another climb completed

Another climb completed

IMG_2312
Crew 2 from the Baltimore, MD 9/11 Stair Climb in 2013 at the Firehouse Expo.

I traveled to Baltimore, MD over the weekend for the Firehouse Expo and the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.  It was my first time to this expo and to climb in the beautiful city.  With the exception of a transportation hiccup and a hotel of nightmares (that I left from), the entire weekend was pretty awesome.

The Baltimore 9/11 Stair Climb had an excellent location with plenty of room for people to setup and get ready for the climb.  Carpeted lobbies aren’t normally some place you see that many firefighters staging in, unless something has gone awry, but it worked great for us.  Check-in was smooth, they had an accountability system established, and great crews of volunteers and Baltimore F.D. operating.  I met plenty of new people, had the opportunity to interview with Fox45, and talk fire service for hours on end.  What more could you ask for?  The morning starts with the presentation of the colors, opening comments, and the beautiful singing of the National Anthem before being led to the climb by bagpipes.

The new gear was a huge addition and made the climb cooler, faster, and as comfortable as you can get when you toss on the extra weight and material.  My steps felt light as I reflected on the trek that our brothers from 9/11 completed on that fateful day.  The challenges they faced, the unknowns, and what they knew at some point was going to be the ultimate sacrifice.  Then I thought beyond 9/11 to the many brother firefighters that have laid their life down, most recently West Texas and Prescott Arizona.  As I told the reporter at the climb, events like these give time for reflection, time to remember, and time to honor those who have made the sacrifice.  We are climbing and there to do something for them and the families they leave behind, but thats not it.

Participating in these events is good for the brotherhood and good for our souls as well.  How many professions do you know that gather for something like this.  You gather at an event with people you don’t know, but that all have similar interests and by the time you leave you have extended your family and friends.  You talk about fire service, your community, why you are there, what you do, build camaraderie, and encourage each other along the way.

Hopefully in an upcoming article I will touch more on brotherhood and the importance to our service.

After watching the news video and reading the newspaper from Baltimore I understand that another $4000 was raised from this event for the foundation, a great cause and reason to continue the work!

Climb on!

Success so far…

Success so far…

tiffany cummins-075Success can be measured in so many ways, from financially, to project completion, to meeting benchmarks, and achieving personal goals.  My own success since starting firefighter stair climbs and charitable events in 2007 continues to compound.   Becoming what often is a statistic with health related issues to becoming firefighter fit was a significant accomplishment that has allowed me personally to do so many things.  Living a healthier life and competing in a variety of events has not only been good for myself, but I have seen others follow along and reach their own goals.  Financially the outpouring of support for the causes that I compete for has been so great.  The major cause that I climb for is the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, of which I have raised almost $13,000 for to this point and continue to climb.  I fundraise and help with awareness for other groups such as the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation (9/11 Climb), The American Cancer Society, The American Lung Association, and other regional events that benefit individuals.

Without your help and the help of our sponsors, none of this would be possible.  Thank you for getting me to where I am today, and thank you for pushing us to the next challenge.  Leading into 2014 I have many other events that I will be volunteering with, competing, and fundraising for.   Continue to check back for updates and see whats happening.

Thank you!

Fredericktown firefighter beats own goal in seventh climb

Fredericktown firefighter beats own goal in seventh climb

The following is my post Seattle climb press release from March of 2013 with the total raised thus far.

FREDERICKTOWN – Fredericktown Community Fire District Lieutenant Firefighter Jason Bostic traveled to Seattle, Washington on March 10 to compete in the 22nd Annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb.  The competition is to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society while raising awareness of the different diseases.  Firefighters battle it out, competing their way to the top of the 69 floor Columbia Center Tower for a good cause.

Lt. Bostic’s involvement with the event and the Leukemia Society began seven years ago to climb in honor of his mother’s successful battle with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.  She along with many others were honored once again with posters throughout the building and stairwells where the firefighters climb.

“This is a very personal and emotional competition for me that most don’t realize.  If you haven’t seen a loved one or a friend battle the disease, it is hard to understand just what its like,” said Bostic.  “Seeing someone fight something inside their body that is constantly taking a physical, mental, and spiritual toll on them makes it very easy for me to commit to working with the L&LS.”

Throughout the year firefighters participating hold fundraisers, network, and speak about the event not only to help them reach financial goals but to encourage involvement and awareness.  Bonds are forged not only among brother and sister firefighters, but also honorees of the event and in their own communities.

“To hear a child talk about what they are going through is like no other.  To hear a parent’s story about battles won and lost makes the steps seem lighter,” said Bostic.  “Not all outcomes are good and over the years we have lost many to the disease, but we fight on.”

At press time, Lt. Bostic had hit the $1500 mark for his fundraising this year, taking his total over seven years to $12,656 for the very personal cause.  It wasn’t his fundraising efforts that he is most proud of this year; it was beating a personal goal.  He finished with a time of 29:49, besting his own time and breaking through the 30-minute mark.

“It’s a huge victory for me to beat my own time and get past the 30-minute barrier that I have been trying to, it has been in my sights for several years,” said Bostic.  “Now that I did it I need to adjust my goals and work harder to see what else I can accomplish.”

While another competition is complete, the climbing is not over for him.  He will travel to Indianapolis at the end of April to climb in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb that is sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

“I encourage everyone to get involved with an event that is larger than them,” said Bostic.  “There is no way to repay what has been done for my family, but I will do everything I can to pay forward.”

 

Cures…

Cures…

You might be asking yourself “what is Firefighter Climb 4 Cures, and what Cure are we looking for?”  The answer is plentiful and there is more to it than just a single cure.

This journey, this entire project and path that I have been traveling down started out to honor my mother, raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma, and along the way to get into better shape.  The L&LS is by far the main cause that I support and continue to raise funding and awareness for.  Essentially, the Scott Firefighter Climb in Seattle is my Super Bowl where the best get to and I work all year for.

As I traveled down the long road I saw many “cures” along the way that I could affect.  Cures for individual diseases, helping make brother’s and sisters firefighter fit, mental health, individual philanthropic causes, and cures to problems within the fire service as a whole.

Firefighters are problem solvers by nature, it goes along with the job to fix problems and make a difference.  We arrive and must be at our best on everyone else’s worst day, and essentially that is a large goal of mine through this process.  This is why you will see a variety of topics and information on my website that pertain not only to fundraising, but also awareness and often times lending a helping hand to others.

There are several key parts of the Firefighter 4 Cures/Firefighter Climb 4 Cures website, and those are the following.

  • A landing page to the various credible fundraisers that I compete and raise for.  From here there are links to the individual secure pages to financially pledge toward my goal.  From time to time there will be general posts of updates, progress, and further information that I want to get out there
  • Events.  This is a specific area that has the past and future events with direct links to fundraising if there is one.
  • Media.  This area offers video, audio, and photos of past events and projects that I have been involved with.
  • Sponsors.  Without these people, some of the success might not have been seen.
  • Thoughts.  Topics of interest and articles to help people along the way.  This will vary from fitness, cooking, training, general fire topics, health, and product reviews.

Over time, more information and sections will hopefully be added, as I diligently stay busy in pushing forward with this project.

Wearing my leaves with pride, why my helmet is Scarlet and Gray

Wearing my leaves with pride, why my helmet is Scarlet and Gray

This was a short story written leading up to the 2013 Scott Firefighter Stair Climb in Seattle to talk a little more about why I climb and what I am fighting for.

IMG_6424“WEARING MY LEAVES WITH PRIDE, WHY MY HELMET IS SCARLET AND GRAY.” – Grab a tea, this will take a few minutes.

What an amazing year it has been leading up to the 22nd annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb in Seattle. This is my seventh year competing at the event and every year it just means that much more to be involved with something so large that oozes with brotherhood. The training to get here has been hard and it has been a long journey that has involved a lot of people because I truly did not get here on my own.

“REFLECTION”

I pause as I often do throughout my training to look back and reflect on the journey. My journey to the climb didn’t start in November with training, it didn’t start last year at the climb, nor when I wanted to compete in my first climb. Losing the weight and becoming firefighter fit was a huge part of getting me to where I am today 5’8”, 160, and ten inches off the waist, but that wasn’t it. Choices made, people in my life, directions, jobs, schools, networking, brotherhood, and many things were all a part of it, but there was more.
Something much larger got me to where I am today and I feel carved in stone what I would be doing in life. Most people can’t exactly pinpoint it down to the day, but I have it down to the day and almost the hour that all solidified. On the morning of Saturday, December 13, 1986 my sister and I were to have Christmas play practice at church in Ashland. My mom who wasn’t feeling well at the time decided to make the trip with us and see her doctor while we were at practice. When the practice was done and the church almost empty, my parents never came back to get us. When practice was over there were no parents waiting for us, and it was before the time of cellphones and a text to say we’re late. I remember the sound of the telephone on the wall at the church, the words that were spoke by the pastor that “your mom is sick and we need to go to the hospital to see her.” My grandparents were there, dad was there, the pastor was there, my sister was there, but my mom was not there. Words like “bled out, cyst, rupture, died, resuscitating, blood transfusions, and many more stuck in my head that day, but the one that changed all of our lives and gave me the path that I would take later in life was different. LEUKEMIA. One word that in those days that didn’t really have a good ending.

People, we were all put on this planet for a reason and a specific calling, find your reason. Maybe you haven’t seen your moment in life yet where destiny has revealed itself, or maybe you have missed it. Whatever your calling, find it, live it, and give it your all. Remember, ultimately we are here doing what we are doing because someone else sacrificed their time, their hard work, their effects, and in some cases paid the ultimate price. I will never be able to truly pay back the ER staff at Ashland Samaritan, the doctors at The Ohio State University Medical Center, researchers, interns, nurses, social workers, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the anonymous donor from the Netherlands, and many charitable organizations for what they did to help my family, but I can do something else. We can ALL do something.

“PAYING FORWARD”

It wasn’t until later in life that I heard the words “pay it forward” and “paying forward” in my love of Ohio State and following sports and learning more about the great Woody Hayes. It wasn’t the first time that he talked about paying forward, but it was unfortunately one of his last as he passed away in the following year. Oh the irony that Coach Hayes would give the commencement speech at The Ohio State University in 1986, the same institution whose hospital would treat my mother and ultimately bring her CURE for Leukemia. Coach Hayes again encouraged the mentality of paying forward and that the graduates should, “take that attitude toward life, because so seldom can we pay it back.” He went on to teach several other life lessons in his commencement speech that spring day and give examples of paying forward, but also many lessons from football that also pertain to life. It was four years almost to the day that someone else followed the mantra of “paying it forward” by donating lifesaving bone marrow that cured my mother with little time to spare on March 14, 1990. Unrelated and not a perfect match, it was a first for OSU and is a part of their history; much like this is a part of my history.

I BLEED SCARLET AND GRAY

Paying forward is no less important today and proudly wearing my Ohio State helmet is no gimmick. On Sunday, March 10, 2013 I will climb my seventh time to help battle Leukemia and Lymphoma, this time proudly showing my scarlet and gray colors. My Buckeye themed helmet isn’t just because I am out there representing Ohio at the event, but also the historic ties of why I am there and how much The Ohio State University and their medical staff have done for my family.
“But for Ohio State and the people, research, and treatment, my mother would not have beaten Leukemia.”
On the helmet are currently six Buckeye leaves representing the six years to this point that I have competed in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb. Those leaves are in honor or memory of the following people; Peggy Bostic, Pam Smith, Matthew Lambert, Mike Huffenberger, Luke Benner, and Kari Pennell. After finishing the climb Sunday the seventh leaf will be affixed to the helmet and I will begin preparing for the next climb.
I wear my gear, my scarlet and gray, my department, and my leaves with pride knowing that with every step I am paying forward.

HOW CAN YOU HELP

Every financial donation made goes directly to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; I accept no assistance in getting there. I have had handfuls of change to several hundred dollars donated by a single person, every penny matters and I truly mean it

Welcome

Welcome

Welcome to the home of Firefighter Climb 4 Cures, a landing page for firefighter themed philanthropical events and thoughts of Central Ohio Firefighter Jason Bostic.  A seven year competitor to firefighter themed fundraising events throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Washington, my events have taken me through a significant journey and transformation.  Along the way I have had the great honor and privilege to meet many inspiring individuals, families, and brother firefighters.  Continue to check back often as I add more information about past events and upcoming events that create a significant impact!