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Arts & Entertainment

Fight Like a Firefighter Festival Saturday in Wentzville Will Benefit Cancer Patients

The festival will include live music, games, face painting, food and a 5K run.

Fun and games will take the forefront at the Fight Like a Firefighter festival Saturday in , but the proceeds will go to the serious and worthwhile goal of helping cancer patients in need.

"There are a lot of organizations...that spend a lot of their time and energy on research, which is a great thing," said Max Mueller, a Wentzville firefighter and a member of the Wentzville Firefighters Community Outreach. "But there’s not a lot of groups that give directly back to people who are suffering from cancer, and that’s kind of what our group does. With the funds we raise, we have an application process, and if we can help somebody with their utilities or medical bills, we pay their bills directly."

Cancer patients and their families who need help can go to the firefighters' website and click on "Assistance - Nomination Form" to apply.

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A panel of five independent citizens from the community work with the firefighters to determine which applicants the organization will be able to help. Depending on how successful big fundraisers like this event are, the group is usually able to assist five to eight people each year, Mueller said. Last year, the group was able to distribute $9,000 to help cancer patients.

"We’re trying to do good things for people in our community," Mueller said. "We’ve paid everything from utility costs and prescriptions to cancer treatment itself."

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The event, formerly called the Pink Heals Tour, is in its third year. As in previous years, it will start with a 5K (3.1 mile) run at 9 a.m., with registration open at 8 a.m. The registration fee is $25, which includes a T-shirt, support along the course and awards.

St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fredbird will be on hand to start the race and provide comic relief. The run will be followed at 10 a.m. by a 1.25-mile fun walk (also $25 to register). Participants can still register Friday and Saturday before the race at , 209 West Pearce Blvd.

The walk will be followed by a survivor’s parade, which starts at 10:30 a.m. at Wall Street and Pearce Boulevard and proceeds down Pearce to its stopping point at Meyer. The parade, which should have about 30 entrants, will feature fire trucks, floats and survivors.

The St. Louis Rams cheerleaders will participate in the parade and then stay until 12:30 p.m. to pose for pictures and sign autographs.

The Family Fest will also begin at 10:30 a.m. at , a three-acre park behind the fire station. Highlights include a bounce house for kids, face painting and assorted games, with tickets for participation available for purchase on-site. There will also be a variety of food and drinks for sale including burgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, snow cones, beer, soda and water.

Missouri Mile, a country duo featuring sisters Sheila and Sheena Orf of Flint Hill, will perform original music starting at 11 a.m. On Missouri Mile's website, music producer Byron Hill talks about how impressed he is with the duo’s talent.

"From the moment I first heard their songs, I knew Sheila and Sheena were special," he said. "Not only were their songs good and different, but Missouri Mile had a sound of their own, a sound that I knew listeners would latch onto and recognize as only them. That is a very valuable asset, and one that every producer looks for in an artist."

Missouri Mile has a CD, That’s What I Do, available at CD Baby and iTunes. For more information, see the music section of the group's website.

The event concludes at 3 p.m., after plenty of fundraising.

"Two years ago, one lady was a month away from being evicted from her house," Mueller said. "We sent the landlord her payment, and she was able to stay in her home, so that was huge. Last year, we had another lady who was in a similar situation. She was a couple of days from being evicted. So as you can imagine, it’s a helping hand when they need it."

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