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St. Louis area public servants are lucky to have Backstoppers, Inc.
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Police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMT’s that work in the St. Louis area are lucky to have an “insurance policy” known as Backstoppers, Inc. It is the mission of this St. Louis based nonprofit organization to assist the families of public servants who die in the line of duty. Within hours of a death, the fallen hero’s family receives a $5000 check to take care of some initial costs. Then, Backstoppers assumes the family’s mortgage, taxes and insurance and provides the family’s health and dental insurance. As if that is not enough, Backstoppers also provides money to help with elementary and secondary education costs, helps survivors pay for college, gives savings bonds to surviving children and provides financial counseling if needed.
Since 1959 Backstoppers has assisted the families of 119 fallen heroes. This includes three police officers and one firefighter that have perished in 2009. Glennon Fernau of Florissant Police Dept., Gregory Jonas of Centerville Police Dept., David Grass of St. Genevieve Fire Dept., and Julius Moore of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department have all given their lives in the line of duty this year.
Backstoppers is funded, in part, by various fundraising events. The centerpiece event is the annual Budweiser Guns N Hoses boxing event. Held on the night before Thanksgiving every year, this event pits firefighters against police officers in 3 round boxing matches. Guns N Hoses is held at the Scottrade Center, home to the St. Louis Blues, and fills up every year with massive crowds. Seventeen matches are held and bragging rights go to either the cops or firefighters, whoever wins the majority of the matches. Next month’s event will be the 23rd Guns N Hoses in St. Louis and will build upon the $2.6 million that this event as raised for Backstoppers since 1987.
The date for this year's Guns N Hoses is set for November 25th. For more information about Backstoppers or Guns N Hoses, please visit http://www.backstoppers.org . Tickets will be available at the door or in advance by calling (314) 713-6031.
