Team RBNY-18 Raises More than $8K in 9/11 Stair Climb
By Katie McFadden
Twenty-three years may have passed, but Team RBNY-18 will never forget 9/11. On Sunday, October 20, for their ninth year, Rockaway’s team once again participated in the National Stair Climb, raising nearly $8,500 for the event.
Leaving from Rogers on Beach 116th Street, with transportation from Serenity Car Service, more than 30 locals went to USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park to climb 2,200 steps, symbolizing the 110 stories of the World Trade Center Towers, the same climb FDNY firefighters made on September 11, 2001, in which 343 firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice. In honor of that climb, each year the National Stair Climb is held to pay tribute to the fallen and to raise funds for those in the FDNY who continue to struggle.
Rockaway’s Team RBNY-18 honors the 18 first responders from the community who died that day. The locals carried photo IDs of those first responders as they made the climb. Money raised goes toward the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to support the families of local fallen firefighters and the FDNY Counseling Services Unit.
This year, Team RBNY-18 was able to raise, $8,431.20, with some of the biggest fundraisers being Terrie Macklin, raising $2,050, retired firefighter John Burke, raising $1,004, and team captain Jen Fabry and Rogers bartender Renee McKeown raising more than $600 each. Although she didn’t participate in the climb, local resident Liz Hanna was also able to help boost fundraising through a 50/50 online.
After the climb, the crew headed back to Rogers to celebrate. “The generosity of our Rockaway neighbors helped us raise more than $8,000 for the National Firefighters Foundation. We are so grateful to you all,” captain Fabry said after the event.
Overall, nearly $76K was raised from Sunday’s climb. For more information about the National Stair Climb, see: https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/nyc24
