STONEHAM — Chief Matthew Grafton and the Stoneham Fire Department are pleased to announce they have received a grant from the Stoneham Business and Community Educational Foundation (SBCEF).
The $387 grant was given to the department to purchase of a new Sparky the Dog Costume, which supports Stoneham Fire’s educational programs with children in the community. S.A.F.E Coordinator Lt. Charlie Webber led the process in obtaining the costume for the department.
The costume, depicting Sparky the Fire Dog, is an interactive way to educate children about the dangers of fire, and what to do in an emergency. Sparky is the official mascot of the National Fire Protection Association.
The Stoneham Fire Department will visit schools and other educational institutions with a member donning the Sparky costume in order to promote fire safety, including how to evacuate safely in case of a fire, identifying smoke alarm sounds, and how to call 911.
The SBCEF has provided grants to support a variety of programming in Stoneham since 1994. SBCEF has partnered with other organizations such as, Meld, Inc. since 2006, and National Coalition for Educational and Cultural Programs (NCECP) since 2013. These organizations together have granted over $365,000 in awards to various schools and organizations reaching over 3,000 students annually.
The primary mission of SBCEF and NCECP is to fund creative and innovative projects, that cannot be funded within the organization’s annual budget, to promote the personal and educational growth of the Town of Stoneham’s youth.
“We are very appreciative of the SBCEF’s support through this grant,” said Chief Grafton. “The new Sparky costume will help us form a deeper connection with the kids who participate in our fire safety programs, and it gives the department a fun way to interact with the community.”
The Stoneham Business and Community Education Foundation is a non-profit organization.
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