FUNDRAISER GARNERS $3,600

A T-shirt fundraiser campaign organized by the city fire department raised $3,600 for the Norma Pfriem Breast Center.

Norma Pfriem Breast Center, based at Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven, has locations in Bridgeport, Fairfield and Trumbull. The center provides a network of services for breast health and wellness.

This is a fundraising effort the department has done for a few years, according to Fire Chief Richard Thode. The campaign runs during October — Breast Cancer Awareness Month. He said the campaign was started by members and officers of Engine and Ladder 10.

Engine and Ladder 10 designed a T-shirt and sold it to members of the Bridgeport Fire Department.

“In the past few years, we have made it a little competition to design the shirt for that year,” Thode said. “Members of the job submit designs and the troopers from (Engine and Ladder) 10 pick a winner.”

The members paid $5 per shift for “permission” to be out of uniform for the day and wear the bright pink shirt, Thode said.

Thode gave a special thanks to Fire Capt. Ron LaFlamme and Fire Capt. Richard Skoog. He said Firefighters Greg Prior took the lead on this year’s campaign.

“This was a homegrown, grassroots effort and I am so proud of the members of this department for their continued generosity and selflessness,” Thode said. “The city of Bridgeport should be very proud of its firefighters.”