Money Raised To Help Cherokee Firefighters' Wives With Breast Cancer

WOODSTOCK, GA — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Cherokee County firefighters are helping some of their own who were diagnosed with the disease in 2021.

Captain Matt Richter of Station 24 said that three of the firefighters’ spouses were diagnosed with breast cancer this year and he wanted to do something to help.

“We heard that Alicia Lanier, Division Chief Kevin Lanier’s wife, learned that she had breast cancer, and not long after that, Charlotte Orr, wife of Division Chief Mark Orr, had it, too," Richter said. "As the news traveled throughout the fire department, firefighters were asking what they could do to help."

Richter said that he always felt that there had to be something that they could do to assist these ladies in need.

“My crew here at Station 24 would throw out different ideas daily to find ways to help,” he said.

Richter said that he had seen where other fire departments were doing fundraisers for breast cancer survivors by selling t-shirts and wearing them while on duty.

Richter reached out to people in the department to brainstorm about a fundraiser. Finally, a proposal was written about selling t-shirts and was later sent to the fire chiefs for their approval. All the money received, minus the cost of the shirts and printing, would be given to the families.

“I wanted them to get it and use the money for whatever they needed it for,” Richter said.

Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather, and the other chiefs supported the idea fully. Richter called on fellow firefighters, Sgt. Jon Montague and Marc Liscio with fire logistics, to help assist him with the project. Richter designed the t-shirt design and later asked the chiefs if they could put the design on hoodies, too. Richter said that he didn’t want to tell the families about their idea until after everything was approved.

The day before Richter went in to have the final meeting about the colors of the design, he found out that another firefighter, Lt. Nathan Croft, had learned that his wife, Jackie, had been diagnosed with breast cancer, too.

Richter contacted the three wives at that point to tell them what they were doing.

“I wanted it to work out so that we could give them each a significant amount of money to assist them in any way possible,” Richter said.

Gross sales for the t-shirts ended up totaling $30,000. Half of the money went for the cost of the t-shirts. Once the bills were paid, the firefighters will be able to donate $5,000 each to the women.

The public commented about how much they love the shirts and appreciate what they were doing to help their own. Plus, Richter has learned how much breast cancer has affected other families of firefighters during the past several years, too.

Roughly 1,200 t-shirts and hoodies were sold during the event. Cherokee County firefighters who purchased the t-shirts and hoodies will continue to wear the apparel until the end of the month. Richter also said that they are planning to have a ceremony at the Cherokee County Fire Training Center later this month to present the checks to the three women with breast cancer.

Being a firefighter’s wife is a tough job. However, when one of them is in need, firefighters come together as a family to give them the help and support that they need during a difficult time.

“It’s more than just the money, I wanted to be able to put a smile on these ladies’ faces,” he said.