Fundraiser for Burnsville first responders begins to send families to D.C.
The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police started a GoFundMe campaign for the families and colleagues of Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth to go to Washington D.C. for National Peace Officer Memorial Day in May.
The organization has raised about $44,000 of its $100,000 goal to pay for airfare and hotels for the first responders' loved ones and co-workers to attend a memorial ceremony at the U.S. Capitol., where the first responders' names will be read, and they will receive posthumous Medals of Valor.
OTSEGO, Minn. (FOX 9) - At 101 Market in Otsego, tulips are in full bloom and employees are using flower power to help the loved ones of fallen first responders' on the other side of the metro for the second year in a row.
What we know
"It's important to me just because I have people in the police organization, and it was just something that I felt we needed to do," said 101 Market cashier Pat Brueske.
The backstory
The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police is not only hoping to help the first responders' loved ones get to the nation's capital, but also the entire Burnsville Police Department, which has coordinated with neighboring departments to cover their calls while they are gone.
"The two things that I think all officers and firefighters want to know are that their family can be taken care of, and they not be forgotten and this is a chance for both. They're kind of a tight-knit family, and they're going out as a family and honoring these heroes and then returning together," said Kevin Rofidol from the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police.
What they're saying
Last year, 101 Market raised more than $76,000 dollars by selling tulips to give to the first responders' grieving families.
They hope donating the profits from this year's tulip fundraiser that ended last week to the GoFundMe will help the entire community.
"It was tragic. I mean that's not something that we want to see. So hopefully we can all heal," said Brueske.
If you'd like more information about the GoFundMe to help the families and coworkers of the Burnsville first responders get to DC, click here.
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