Firefighter completes 140-mile walk in gear
Funds raised to assist colleagues with cancer
Firefighters suffering from cancer were not forgotten in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In their memory, Macomb Township firefighter Joseph Warne completed an approximately 140 mile walk in full fire gear to raise funds for them.
When he is not fighting fires with the Macomb Township Fire Department, 40-year-old Warne is fighting poverty and cancer through his non-profit Neighbors United. With the cause in mind of assisting firefighters with cancer from multiple cities across the state through the charity, Warne set out to walk in full fire gear following a route ending in Cascade Township, about 10 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.
Warne began his walk around 8 a.m. on Sept. 24, leaving from Macomb Township Fire Station 2 on 21 Mile Road, west of Romeo Plank Road. His sendoff included a few words fromtownship officials and FireChief Robert Phillips as well as a chaplain’s prayer.
“We got ready to have a nice parade, led by retired Capt. Gary Ross, a cancer survivor in remission,” Warne said.
He had plenty of company along his walk route, as he was followed by a team in a vehicle and joined at different times bywell-wishers, friends and fellow firefighters, including some Macomb Township firefighters.
“I was greeted by a lot of people on the way. It was hard to count,” Warne said.
During the last day of his walk, Warne was joined for six miles by the family of a Grand Rapids Fire Department firefighter who received some of the funds from last year’s walk.
“I wish everybody could walk with me at least a day to see what is going on,” Warne said.
Warne arrived at Cascade Township Fire Station 2 at 2990 Buttrick SE on Sept. 27.
“I had an amazing reception. Cascade Township promoted it throughout the city,” Warne said, adding he was escorted into the community by the Cascade Township Fire Department.
As of Sept. 28 Warne estimated his walk earned about $45,125, although he believed it could exceed this amount as he was still waiting for Facebook totals to be provided. Although he originally had 14 firefighters
with cancer on his list to assist, along his walking route he learned about a few more. As of Sept. 28 the list of those to be assisted through walk funds had reached 19.
Warne founded Neighbors United with the goal of assisting individuals and families in need on an individual basis. This year is the second Warne has held the walk to benefit firefighters with cancer.
In June 2019 he made the fundraising trek in full fire gear for Neighbors United, walking from Macomb
Township’s Fire Station 2 to a fire station in Kentwood outside of Grand Rapids. He raised $13,680 for firefighters with cancer that was latermatched by rocker Bob Seger and Chevy Trucks.
Warne had originally planned to walk in 2020 from May 21-24. Unfortunately, he caught a case of COVID-19 inMarch. He did not require hospitalization, butwas off ofwork for about four weeks. He quarantined at home, isolating himself even from his wife and four children. He felt better and was cleared to return to work by his physician and a physician the fire department required him to see by Easter. In May, he resumed his training for the walk, which was rescheduled for September.
Although he suffered some back pain, Warne said that overall he felt better after this year’s walk than after last year’s.
“I am in a little better shape this year for thewalk, and I’m moving around pretty good today,” Warne said.