Firefighters at Fire Station 69 (corner of Sunset and Carey) will hold a pancake breakfast on Saturday, April 23 from 8 to 11 a.m. to support L.A. firemen who will cycle across the United States this summer to attend the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Pancakes, sausage and orange juice will be served at the fire house and the cost is by donation only. ’We’ll accept any amount that residents would like to donate,’ said Captain Mike Ketaily. The firefighters, who are responsible for all of their food costs, will use part of the proceeds to support Station 69 paramedic Jorge Ostrovsky as he bikes across the country. Station 69 will also host a silent auction, which includes dinners at stations 69, 23 and 37, a bicycle and bicycle accessories, a ‘Ride for 9-11’ jersey signed by participating firefighters, gift certificates from local businesses and an overnight stay at an area hotel. ‘We are hoping that some of our local businesses will get involved and donate products, services or gift certificates for the auction,’ Ketaily said, noting that they can contact him or any Station 69 captain at (310) 575-8569. The 3,308-mile bike ride will start in downtown Los Angeles on July 24 and finish in New York City at the Firefighters Memorial on September 9. Firefighters hope to raise money for two charities: the Dennis Leary Firefighters Foundation (LFF) and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). LFF is dedicated to providing equipment to firefighters across the United States, especially a canister-based respirator for firefighters to wear, reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses and cancers in firefighters. The WWP was founded in 2004 by a group of veterans and friends to help injured servicemen and women returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. ‘ According to the Acorn, a Thousand Oaks newspaper, 30-year fireman Ostrovsky and 11-year veteran Jim Prabhu of Westwood originated the idea for the 9/11 ride three years ago after participating in a triathlon. ’We realized that the 10-year anniversary was coming up and we had to do something special,’ said Ostrovsky, a longtime Newbury Park resident and coach of a high school boys’ volleyball team. ’More than anything else, we’re doing this to bring home to people that it’s been 10 years since the attacks,’ Ostrovsky said. ‘We’ve got to do something to make sure people will remember.’ According to Captain Ketaily, the firemen will average 100 miles per day, with the men staying in host fire stations and donated motel rooms along the route to minimize expenses. Their route will include the United Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
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