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 A Pink Fire Engine pulled into town this morning. With its lights and siren blaring, the truck was escorted through the City streets by Car 22 and Engine 9, the Pumper Truck arrived at Reading City Hall shortly before 10:00. The engine was adorned with a custom paint job of little Pink ribbons and towed a trailer with a large Pink Ribbon mounted on it. Inside were four firefighters from the Glendale, AZ Fire Department, IAFF Local 493.
All the Pink ribbons made the reason for the visit unmistakable, the group was on a mission to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer.
A shrine of sorts, the truck and trailer are graced with the signatures of more than 5000 people who have been effected by someone with breast cancer. What wasn't covered with signatures was covered with patches from all the fire and police departments of the citys and towns they've visited so far.
The cause is being led by Dave Graybill, one of the firefighters from Glendale. We remembered Dave from his first stop in Reading. Back in 2003 Graybill was on his Golf Across The USA Tour and hit golf balls from the Japanese Garden at the Pagoda atop Mt. Penn to raise funds for Children's Charities.
This visit Dave made with three other members of the department and their accompanies. The Guardians of the Ribbon all took their vacations together to make the trip across the country.
They normally do not pick up riders along the way but while driving through a slightly remote area during the first half of the tour, they found a Black Lab walking along the highway. They picked the puppy up and Jasper has been riding with them ever since. He rides up front and is quite at home with all the people he meets at each stop.
The effect of the tour on those who they are raising awareness for was evident. Several women who have survived the disease were on hand to sign their names to the fire truck. One of those is a wife of a Reading Firefighter. Barbara Lewalski said she was honored to be able to sign the pumper. Fire Chief William Rehr also signed the truck in honor of a member of his family currently undergoing treatment for the disease.
The group spent months working out all the details and getting all the incidentals together. All the items were donated by various interests. The pumper truck was purchased by a dealer in Jacksonville, FL with donated funds from a woman Graybill met in a Starbucks, the Pink turnout gear was donated by Globe Manufacturing.
FF Keith Eschelman, President of Local 1803, presented the group a check for $500.00 for the cause. The Local also donated a department patch that was glued to the trailer. The City of Reading donated repairs made on the Engine at the Municipal Garage and after fueling up they were on their way to the next stop on the tour, Lancaster, PA.
Check out more about the Pink Ribbon Tour at the web site; http://www.pinkribbontour.com/
See all the photos in our Gallery
Watch a short video of the arrival
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