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MONEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39
“Strength in Solidarity – Proud to support such Hero’s.”
Among the more than 2,400 supporters of the cause, one individual went above and beyond to walk the talk and help officers stand their ground. Willie Wilson, a businessman and former FOP-endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, decided to
match Lodge 7’s $50,000 donation.
Wilson presented a $50,000 check to Catanzara and Chicago
Firefighters Union Local 2 President Robert Tebbens on Dec. 22. He noted his respect for first responders for putting their lives on the line and thanked them for their continuous dedication to the job.
“I’m very passionate and appreciative of [first responders],” Wilson affirmed at the presentation. “They protect the country.” On top of the sizable donation just before Christmas, Wilson also brought an extra $21,000 in cash as an added gift for officers and firefighters in attendance. Each attendee received $800. Catanzara praised Wilson for his generosity and confirmed that the contribution is going to those who badly need the financial
support.
“I know what it means [because] I know a lot of these stories,”
Catanzara noted. “The decisions that our members have had to make, it’s not something anybody should have to do. Especially first responders.”
It’s contributions like Wilson’s that can help members push forward in the fight for heroes, which Sipic explicitly and indis- putably confirmed.
“Somebody had the courage [to] stand up and say, ‘No, that’s enough,’” Sipic declared. “I’m glad these [members] are still holding the line.”
40 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2022