Mt. Prospect firefighters hosts its final golf outing

The Mount Prospect firefighters golf outing is on this year, but just barley.

Thanks to a rush of late sign ups, the July 8 event will go on as planned, but the struggle to get golfers to participate this year will probably mark the end of the outing's 16-year run, said Mount Prospect firefighter Eric Mertes.

"Even though this is a long-standing tradition, I think it's run its course," he said. "Once we get past next week, I'll probably set up a committee and look at what we can do in 2011. It won't be a golf outing, but I'd like to do something."

Since 1994, the Mount Prospect Local 4119 has raised money so burn victims can attend an overnight burn summer camp in Ingleside.

Usually, between 80 and 90 golfers sign up for the event at the Poplar Creek Country Club in Hoffman Estates. But the event was in danger of being canceled after only 20 people had signed up as of two weeks ago.

However, thanks to news articles, another 40 people signed up, according to Mertes. Mertes also was able to convince Poplar Creek to drop their minimum number of golfers from 72 to 60, he said.

It costs about $2,000 for each child to attend to attend the burn camp, but no one pays. The camp is run strictly on donations, which pay for food, transportation, housing and even clothing for some kids, said Jill Friedrichs, executive administrator and treasurer of Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.

This year, 85 kids from throughout the state attended the camp which was held June 13-19, Friedrichs said.

Last year, the firefighters raised $12,000 for the camp and in the past, the fundraiser has netted more like $16,000.

This year, the fundraiser will net about $5,000.