John Rider Award Winner – Gerald Brinston

Gerald Brinston, our 2009 John Rider Memorial Award recipient is a 25 year member of the Toronto Fire Services, starting in former Etobicoke and now working as an Acting Captain.

Two years ago, he started helping the people of the Dominican Republic by building houses and training local people in carpentry skills. Late in 2009, he took a trip to Haiti with a friend and found conditions that were so deplorable he felt he should also help the Haitians.

He made several trips to Haiti prior to the earthquake, taking supplies and helping the local people. Two days before the earthquake Gerry was returning to the Dominican Republic in preparation for another trip to Haiti. This allowed him to be one of the first to arrive at the Haitian border to provide aid. He entered Haiti two days after the earthquake struck and remained there, living under the stars with the locals until March 9th.

Through the generosity of the Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association and the Markham Professional Firefighters Association and many friends he was able to deliver food, medical supplies and 40 tents to shelter orphans living in Port-au-Prince.

As he does with every venture he finds himself in, he jumped in with both feet giving all of himself to the cause. Currently, he has his home up for sale and is looking to purchase land in Haiti to continue to help the local population. His plan is to work with his wife, Kwong, in educating  the locals with marketable trade skills so they can generate income for themselves and their families.

He states that he will need the continued support of friends, family and fire fighters to help the people of Haiti for many years to come and is particularly interested in having willing participants join him in Haiti to help out. Gerry advises that if the volunteer can pay their own airfare, he’ll be pleased to provide accommodation and food for the duration of their work in Haiti. If you can help out with a donation of your time or money, please contact Gerry at respect.haiti@yahoo.com. Cash donations will be used to send a Haitian child, Dustin, to school for the first time in his life.