A dedicated team of firefighters in Regina, known as Hydrants and Hearts, is actively making a positive impact on the community.

The COVID-19 pandemic and a drop in community involvement inspired a group usually looked at as heroic, to step up and bring change by working with charities across the city of Regina.

Nearly 300 members of the Local Union 181 donate a portion of their cheques every single month to benefit a variety of local charities – donating roughly $17,000 every year.

In September the organization committed ten thousand dollars from their own funds to support the creation of a green space at Regina’s SCEP Center, the SCEP center is an early intervention preschool program for kids with complex needs. The organization has been working in Regina for 55 years benefiting children who have been affected by trauma, many of which are on the autism spectrum.

Heading the efforts is Jay Ott, the chairperson of Hydrants and Hearts. Ott emphasizes that the SCEP Center’s requirements are substantial, and the ten thousand dollars they’ve raised is just a start.

“We need as many people and companies as possible to get on board with this in Regina,” says Ott.

The renovation of the greenspace is a massive undertaking. The goal says Ott – is to do this the best they can and give the kids at the center everything they need and more. Organizations involved in landscaping, pavement, synthetic grasses, and decking are encouraged to reach out. Building materials and labor are a necessity.

Ott had a chance to see the work done by the SCEP Center first hand,

“I’ve done a lot of different work with youth in our community. As long as SCEP had been around I had never heard of them. Once I met the staff and the kids and realized the type of work they do – and the challenges and hurdles they face – I knew their name needed to get out there.”

Jay points to the needs of the SCEP kids and the fact that assistance is given to these kids on a “one on one” basis – as one of the key reasons the organization needs more community support.

“Those kids need our help. Their needs are great. We want to SCEP do more, so that they can take more kids in, and so they don’t have to turn as many kids and family away. They need money and a safe space to do that work,” says Ott.

For more information or www.hydrantsandhearts.com

For more on the SCEP Center – please visit www.scepcentre.com.