Chad Gartland Fundraiser for Fairfax City FD

My Baseball program at George Mason’s connection to the Fairfax City Fire Department, and with the Firefighting Community as a whole, has run deep even before my idea for the fundraiser. Head Coach Shawn Camp is a Fairfax local, growing up in the area and attending Robinson High School, and has always appreciated the service of Fairfax City FD in his hometown. He also recalls a time when his wife, Heidi Camp, was in an accident on Ox Road, and the Fairfax City FD rescue team was there to help her through the incident.

Within our program, I am one of our Starting Pitchers here at GMU, and my nickname is “The Fireman”. I got that nickname by being the type of pitcher last season who could pitch in just about any role, and “put out fires” also known as getting the team out of difficult situations. Another reason is that my father is a firefighter back home in Rochester, NY. I grew up around fire houses and carry a lot of pride for the nickname he holds.

My Baseball program has supported my idea and has decided to give back to our local heroes that often don’t get enough of the spotlight. This Spring, they will be donating $10 to Fairfax City FD for every strikeout that I get in the 2023 Spring Season. We will be challenging our fans, alumni, friends of the program, and anyone else who wants to make a difference to match the donation this spring or come up with a one-time donation within their means.

Additionally, Saturday April 8th is our team’s A10 Conference Home Opener against the Dayton Flyers at 2pm. We will be honoring the Fairfax City Fire Department before the game and will spend time with them after the game as well.

We hope to get as many people on board to donate as possible and hope to see you all at “The Hap” on April 8th, all to support a good cause!