VANCOUVER Firefighter Charities (VFC) has set a new fundraising record, donating $50,000 to the ALS Society of British Columbia (ALS BC). Raised through the annual ALS Shoot for the Cure sporting clay challenge and Vancouver Firefighters Hockey Club events, this year’s total represents a $5,000 increase over 2025 and pushes VFC’s lifetime contributions past $498,000 since the partnership began in 2003.
The ALS Shoot for the Cure was originally established to honour Vancouver firefighters Ranny MacDonald and Jim MacLeod, who lost their lives to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Held on May 3 at the Vancouver Gun Club in Richmond, this year’s tournament welcomed a record turnout of nearly 400 participants and volunteers. Over the past two decades, what began as a memorial for fallen comrades has grown into a vital community tradition, with 100% of proceeds donated directly to the ALS Society of BC.
“By always putting those in need before themselves, these funds are making a difference in the increased quality of life for those affected by ALS. They are truly community heroes in every possible way,” said Donald Miyazaki, Executive Director of the ALS Society of BC.
For Vancouver firefighters, community service extends well beyond answering emergency calls. Off-duty members volunteer their time to organize and support vital community programs and charitable causes.
In British Columbia, approximately 500 people are living with ALS at any given time, joining an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 Canadians battling the disease nationally, with about 1,000 new diagnoses annually. ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that paralyzes the body by disrupting communication between the brain and muscles, eventually robbing individuals of the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and breathe. Funds raised through VFC enable the ALS Society of BC to deliver essential patient programs and services, such as mobility equipment and support groups, at no cost to registered patients, while supporting critical research toward a cure through ALS BC Project Hope at the University of British Columbia.
