StettlerLocal.com February 22nd, 2022 @ 1:15pm
On Family Day at Rochon Sands Provincial Park on Buffalo Lake with a temperature of -15°, five committed citizens of the County and Town of Stettler took the plunge to raise funds to purchase two Rescue Water Craft units for the Stettler Regional Fire Department.
The brave individuals were Town of Stettler Councillor Kurt Baker, County of Stettler Councillor Justin Stevens, Village of Big Valley Councillor Amber Hoogenberg, Ol’ MacDonald’s Campground representative Marci Spady, and local Dustin Stauffer.
The cause is personal to Justin, as he was involved in water rescues on Buffalo lake as a teenager and understands how essential water rescue crafts can be for the community.
A large crowd of onlookers gathered to witness the plunge, with Stettler Firefighters and Stettler Ambulance in attendance to make sure that the plunge into the lake happened as safely as possible.
Stauffer spent a full ten minutes in the frigid water as firefighters and EMS carefully observed.
At the time of the plunge, the group had raised over $17,000 in donations towards the watercraft, more than tripling the amount they hoped.
Jimilee Ayotte, Editor
StettlerLocal.com