ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis tradition took the stage at the Enterprise Center on Wednesday for the annual Guns ‘N Hoses boxing event.
It is the biggest fundraiser for the BackStoppers of the year and is an event to remember first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty and honor the families left behind.
“This is an opportunity to help with the healing process, and most of the families are here tonight just to show how much support and how much love there is to our first responders,” said Chief Dennis Jenkerson for the St. Louis Fire Department.
Thirty-five strong is the theme this year, and everyone involved knows the importance of the money raised.
“We’re shooting for a million dollars, and we hope we make it,” said Chief Ron Battelle, an executive director for the BackStoppers. “We did last year. We hope to do that again. But regardless of whatever it is, the St. Louis community will step up and support us if there is a need, and that need still exists.”
It was a sold-out event, and both sides had plenty riding on the line.
“We both made a side bet that whoever loses has to wear a shirt that says either fire or police is my hero while washing one of our department vehicles,” said Joe Siebert for the Arnold Police Department.
“It’s for washing fire trucks versus washing, you know cop cars,” said Bo Caldwell for the Rock Community Fire Protection District. “But you know, unfortunately for him, our trucks are a lot bigger, so it’s going to take them a while to clean them.”
Caldwell fought Siebert; both are from Arnold, and it was their first time to step into the Guns ‘N Hoses ring.
“I think that we’re going to give is everything that we have and put on a great show for this charity,” Caldwell said.
For Siebert, the meaning of Guns ‘N Hoses is very personal.
“I had a colleague in Arnold that was seriously injured in the line of duty,” he said. “But just to see him fight through it and see what the BackStoppers do for him and for his family, that’s why I’m here.”