Around Town: Benefit dinner keeps the Fire Fighters Memorial lookin' good

Local firefighters and the broader community bonded by breaking bread together at an annual dinner held at the Sala San Marco banquet hall on Thursday in aid of the Ottawa Fire Fighters Memorial.

The Ottawa Fire Fighters Memorial, located at Marion Dewar Plaza outside City Hall.

The monument, located at Marion Dewar Plaza outside City Hall, commemorates fallen Ottawa firefighters. It’s not only the gathering place for the annual memorial ceremony, held Friday, but also a frequent public draw.

“Every time I’m there, in all honesty, there are people from all over the world who have dropped by to our memorial,” retired deputy fire chief David A. Smith, head of fundraising for the Ottawa Fire Fighters Community Foundation, told Around Town.

From left, Brian Conway, chair of the Ottawa Fire Fighters’ Memorial Dinner Gala, with Ottawa Fire Chief Gerry Pingitore and retired deputy fire chief David A. Smith, chair of fundraising for the Ottawa Fire Fighters Community Foundation, at the Sala San Marco on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

The foundation successfully raised $1.4 million to create the memorial, unveiled in 2009. This year, organizers were hoping to pull in about $25,000 at the dinner to help with the costs of further enhancing the site and to cover ongoing maintenance.

Brian Conway, a retired finance manager with the fire department, was back to chair the gala. Also returning were CTV’s Michael O’Byrne as MC and lawyer Lawrence Greenspon as charity auctioneer. Providing the live music were The Divas as well as The Ottawa Fire Services Band.

From left, CTV Ottawa noon news anchor Michael O’Byrne with well-known photographer Michelle Valberg and her firefighter husband, Scott MacLennan, a district chief, at the Ottawa Fire Fighters Community Foundation’s 9th annual memorial dinner gala, held at the Sala San Marco on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

The 400-plus attendees included Ottawa Fire Chief Gerry Pingitore, Police Chief Charles Bordeleau and a strong showing from city council. Among the community supporters were restaurateur Moe Atallah, lawyer Chuck Merovitz, and businessman Angelo Filoso, who’s also vice president of the foundation.

Well-known lawyer and charity auctioneer Lawrence Greenspon with his wife, Angela Lariviere, and Rina Filoso and her husband, Angelo Filoso, vice president of the Ottawa Fire Fighters Community Foundation, at the organization’s 9th annual memorial dinner gala, held at the Sala San Marco on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

Carolyn001@sympatico.ca