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The Citizen, 2016-06-09, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016. Sports Ball Day raises thousands for firefighters, equipment A cold shower Doug Sholdice of the Brussels Fire Department got a bit of a cool awakening as he crossed home plate on Saturday as the local firefighters took on radio personalities from various stations in Wingham, including Phil Main, left, as part of the Brussels Ball Day fundraiser. Teams played baseball all day, punctuated by the charity game, which involved everything from water balloons and water guns to running the bases backwards and a refreshment station at second base. The event raised thousands for new equipment for Brussels Minor Ball and for a new generator for the fire department. The game was overseen by NHL linesman Scott Driscoll, a Seaforth native, who not only kept an eye on the players to ensure they were keeping their tactics within the ground rules of the day, but also stuck around and signed autographs after the game. (Vicky Bremner photos) By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Saturday was a busy day in Brussels, with two huge fundraisers working in concert to benefit the Brussels Lions Club, the Brussels Fire Department and Brussels Minor Ball. Heather Dunbar, a member of the Brussels Fire Department and organizer of the Ball Day, said it was a huge success that raised thousands of dollars for two great causes: new equipment for Brussels Minor Ball and a new generator for the Brussels Fire Department. Dunbar said that between 150 and 160 people test-drove a Ford from Leslie Motors, which will translate into a $20 donation from the company per test drive. In addition, locals who helped serve food and the Brussels Tigers who ran the event's refreshment station, all plan on donating a portion of their proceeds to the cause as well. The event began on a good note, Dunbar said, as the Brussels Squirts played against Seaforth and notched a victory in their game. As the minor ball games piled up throughout the day, so too did the wins for the home teams. One of the afternoon's main attractions was the charity game between members of the Brussels Fire Department and representatives of CKNX and Classic Rock radio stations in Wingham. While neither team did an especially good job of adhering to the rules, Dunbar said, plenty of fun was had by all. No one really kept score, but there were water balloons, fire extinguishers, water guns and plenty of hijinks to go around, including running the bases backwards and a refreshment station at second base, which popped up in the third inning. If runners advanced to second base, they had to take in a refreshment before they could advance any further. That game was umpired by NHL linesman Scott Driscoll, a Seaforth native, who couldn't have been a better addition to the day, says Dunbar. He did a great job umpiring the game and signed autographs after the game for anyone who wanted one. The game also began on a slightly different note, as one of the members of the CKNX/Classic Rock team took her test-drive vehicle for a spin around the diamond's bases before the game began, all while spraying water out the back of the vehicle. Dunbar said that while there were some initial thoughts that perhaps the day shouldn't have been held on the same day as the Lions Club's Elimination Draw, the two events actually complemented one another quite well. Many Brussels residents and visitors, she said, were in town and watching baseball during the day and headed for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre in the evening for dinner, only to return to watch the Brussels Tigers take on the Wingham Hitmen, a contest that the locals unfortunately lost by a score of 9-1. Dunbar says she's unsure if the event will become an annual one or not, but there has already been talk among Brussels firefighters about a charity game next year in which the Brussels team would take on their fellow firefighters from the Grey department, although nothing has been finalized. Meanwhile at the community centre, it was Matt McCall of Brussels who came out on top of the Elimination Draw, ending up with the winning ticket and $5,000 for his efforts. It was another Brussels resident, Anne Cooper, who drew the first ticket and won $200 for that honour. Dunbar says that Leslie Motors is planning to officially present both Brussels Minor Ball and the Brussels Fire Department with their shares of the proceeds in the next few weeks. Motorcycle Chaps B ainton's Old Mill Downtown Blyth 519-523-4740 Brussels Fire Department and Brussels Minor Ball would like to thank our many sponsors for a great day! - CKNX Classic Rockers - special thanks to Nathan Marshall and Tanya Merner - Leslie Ford Motors, Wingham - special thanks to Mark Leslie and his crew - Dwyer Manufacturing - Sholdice Financial Services - Doug Sholdice - Brussels Tigers Men's Fastball team. Special thanks to Shawn Daw - Brussels Foodland - Brussels Variety - Cinnamon Jim's - The Huron County Health Unit - special thanks to Johanna and her daughter - Brussels Legion A special thank you goes out to Seaforth native NHL linesman Scott Driscoll. Great job umpiring the Classic Rockers vs Brussels Fire Department game! What a great Day! A huge thank you to everyone who went for a Ford test drive, thanks to the Classic Rockers for the fun game of ball, to the Huron County Health Unit for the info booth, Cinnamon Jim's for the food booth and thanks to the Brussels Community for coming out and cheering on all the ball players and showing support. Great job to all the volunteers and organizers!