The bond within the fire service is one that cannot be broken, and fellow firemen and women will do whatever it takes to have another’s back … or in this case, a kidney. A golf tournament was held Oct. 22 at Mayapple Golf Course in Carlisle to benefit retired career firefighter and volunteer firefighter Charles “Charley” Westcott, and current Friendship Hose Co. volunteer firefighter Bethany Shields. After many years serving as a career firefighter with the Letterkenny Army Depot Fire Department and the U.S. Army War College Carlisle Barracks, the 1972 Big Spring High School graduate learned he was in kidney failure. He previously told The Valley Times-Star that five years ago, he became short of breath during a trip to Jamaica. After testing, he learned he needed a kidney and was added to the transplant list. Last year, both of his kidneys started to fail, which required him to undergo nightly dialysis treatments to filter the toxins from his kidneys. Once the word spread among his fellow brothers and sisters (Westcott currently serves as a volunteer firefighter for West End Fire & Rescue Co. in Shippensburg), Shields decided to get tested to see if she was a match for Westcott. It took some time for the results, but once she learned she was a match, Shields headed over to the Westcotts’ residence. “I knocked on his door and when he answered, I said, ‘I’m here to be your kidney buddy!’” Shields noted. Westcott was ecstatic that his long wait for a kidney was finally nearing its end.
The kidney buddies bonded right away, and their surgery was scheduled for the first week of September at Harrisburg Hospital. Once the good news had traveled to West End, fellow member Jason Strite organized a group of members to formulate a plan to help both Westcott and Shields offset their medical costs. The company board approved the use of some company funds to help, as well as the organization of the golf tournament. Strite said, “The response was tremendously overwhelming. The tournament was full with 34 teams and a few on a waiting list. You normally don’t get that many teams for a tournament and I still wasn’t believing it until the day of the tournament.” Strite added, “Suddenly, all the local area fire companies in both Franklin and Cumberland counties were sending monetary donations to sponsor a hole on the 18-hole golf course. Businesses in the Chambersburg and Shippensburg areas were sending in donations and members of the West End Fire & Rescue Co. were making donations. All I can say, I was at a loss for words on the day of the tournament. I was very successful with a huge amount of monetary donations. I want to give a great shout out to everyone involved.” Both Westcott and Shields gave a heartfelt thank you to everyone prior to the start of the tournament as all the golfers were sitting in their golf carts waiting to start.
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