Buena Park : Police, Fire Groups Plan Charity Event

The Buena Park Police Officers Assn. and the Buena Park Fire Employees Assn. are sponsoring an event to raise money for several organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Boys and Girls clubs, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Rich McMillen, community relations officer for the Buena Park Police Department, said the fund-raiser will be Sept. 28 at the Medieval Times dinner and tournament.

“It’s important for the public to realize that this fund-raiser has nothing to do with the city fund or salary increases,” he said, explaining that both associations operate independently of city management. “We’re just trying to give back something to a community that has been very good to us.”

Doug Gjersvold, president of the fire employees association, noted that not all money raised from the event will go to larger, better known charities. He said that, for example, the organization once gave $500 to a poor Buena Park family that had lost two sons within a short period of time.

“There’ve been quite a few of the smaller, but just as important, causes that we’ve donated to,” he said.

Tickets are $25 each, and they are tax-deductible, McMillen said. To buy tickets, call the police association at (714) 521-9352 or the fire association at (714) 523-9797.