For Immediate Release
Monday, October 26, 2009
SLIDELL TEEN A HERO TO FIREFIGHTERS
Ashlee Stokes is not a normal teenager. In fact, she’s quite exceptional, continuing to fight back for control of her body after a collision with a drunk driver nearly 18 months ago left her with traumatic brain injury.
Community support for Ashlee and her family has been mounting since the wreck occurred on Memorial Day 2008, and firefighters from St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 1 are joining the effort to not only show support for Ashlee but help raise money to defray her medical expenses.
This Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to noon, firefighters will conduct a “boot shake” at the intersection of Gause Boulevard and Rue Rochelle in Slidell, standing at the intersection and asking passersby to toss money into their protective footwear. Ashlee’s fellow cheerleaders from Northshore High School will also be on-hand, waving signs and helping draw attention to their comrade’s hardships.
“In the past, we’ve raised as much as $5,000 in a single boot shake event for national charities,” said District 1 Chief of Safety and Fire Prevention Neil Ricca. “Since Ashlee’s is local and has inspired so much outpouring of support, we believe we can surpass that figure.”
District 1 firefighters are not new to community involvement. For the entire month of October, firefighters volunteered to wear pink uniform shirts and adorn fire trucks and other equipment with pink ribbons to raise awareness of breast cancer. Other community-oriented projects are always in planning.
“Especially since 9/11, people call us ‘heroes,’” said Fire Chief Larry Hess. “We’re proud of the work we do, but to us the heroes are people like Ashlee and her family. While her story is tragic, her heart and determination are a triumph. And while her family copes, our community has rallied. These are the people who make Slidell unique.”
For more information, or to make a donation to Ashlee’s family, visit the boot shake on Saturday or call Ricca at 985.646.4387. A special website for Ashlee has also been established at www.ashleestokes.com.
Media contact: James Hartman, 504.458.4600 or [email protected]