UPDATE: North Montgomery County firefighters win 'Batting for our Brothers' fundraiser

UPDATE: CONROE, Texas -- The North Montgomery County Firefighters won the battle on the diamond taking first place in the “Batting for our Brothers” softball tournament, after a couple of hard-fought games in the finals with The Woodlands Fire Department.

Ten Montgomery County fire departments collectively raised more than $26,000 for three Houston firefighters injured in the 5-alarm Southwest Inn motel fire of May 31. Proceeds from the event will be donated to HFD’s Captain William Dowling, Robert Yarbrough and Tom Livesay; Dowling remains hospitalized for his injuries.

Dowling’s son, Forrest, was a member of the winning team and was awarded the first place trophy by the North Montgomery County firefighters’ team.

ORIGINAL STORY:

CONROE, Texas -- Fire fighters throughout Montgomery County will take to the diamond Saturday, July 27, for a fundraiser benefit titled “Batting for our Brothers,” for Houston Fire Department firefighters injured in the 5-alarm Southwest Inn motel fire of May 31. The community well remembers that tragedy that took the lives of four firefighters, and injured fourteen. The four fallen heroes were Capt. EMT Matthew Renaud, 35, of Station 51; engineer-operator EMT Robert Bebee, 41, of Station 51; firefighter EMT Robert Garner, 29, of Station 68; and firefighter Anne Sullivan, 24, of Station 68, who graduated from the Houston Fire Department Academy in April. Those who survived and are still in need of medical care are Capt. William Dowling of the Houston Fire Department, Robert Yarbrough, and Tom Livesay.

The “Batting for our Brothers” fundraiser will feature ten teams vying for trophies and bragging rights, and all for this essential cause. The softball tournament will be held at Carl Barton Jr Park east of Conroe on Loop 336 South. The event will begin early, with an invocation at 7:50 a.m., followed by the National Anthem. The participating teams include all of Montgomery County’s finest: South County FD, Montgomery FD, The Woodlands FD, Central Montgomery County/Caney Creek FD, Lake Conroe FD, Needham FD, Conroe FD, North Montgomery County FD, Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD), and the New Caney FD.

There is no charge to attend the tournament, but to help a great cause, T-shirts will be sold for $15; $10 for players. (Shirts can be shipped for $20, via Paypal.) To further the cause, barbecue dinners will be sold, Kona Ice will have their truck on site, and the event will feature a silent auction. To see some of the unique auction items visit the Batting for our Brothers Facebook page. The site lists sponsors and wrap-around fundraising events like the sale of T-shirts, meal tickets, and decals at the Kroger grocery store in Porter on Thursday, July 25, until 7 p.m. Friday at the Chiller Bee, located at 2820 I-45N Frontage Road in the Conroe Marketplace Shopping Center from 7-11 p.m., mention the BFOB and 30% of the sale will be donated to the cause. T-shirts will be for sale at this location too.

Not one to fan the flames, these firefighters don’t intend to fan the plate either. The public is invited to come out and cheer on their respective community’s firefighting team.