First Responders Breakfast will raise funds for defibrillator units Community urged to attend to thank brave police, fire personnel

logoBy Dee Longfellow

For The Villa Park Independent

On Saturday, Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, a local not-for-profit organization called Barks and Boots is hosting a breakfast just for First Responders which will help raise funds to purchase Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) units for the Villa Park Police and Fire Departments. It will also serve as a salute to local area first responders who put their lives on the line every day. Tickets to the breakfast are $8 for adults, $5 for children under 10. All first responders with ID eat free. For more information, visit BarksandBoots.com.

“We’re very proud to host and man this event,” said Theresa Bauer, executive director and founder of Barks and Boots. “ First and foremost, it’s a worthy cause and since we’re based out of Villa Park, it only makes sense for us to be involved. We hope that everyone in our community comes out and thanks our own first responders and get the much-needed funds to replace the Village’s current AEDs which are reaching the end of their useful life cycle and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Barks and Boots sends care packages to military personnel serving overseas, K-9 military working dogs and K-9 officers serving in local law enforcement. For more information, visit BarksandBoots.com