Injured Firefighter Now in Stable Condition; More Benefits Scheduled
Posted/updated on: March 5, 2014 at 4:24 pm
LINDALE — Officials report injured Lindale firefighter Joe Yeakley has made many improvements, and is now in stable condition in Parkland Hospital in Dallas. And according to a Lindale Fire Department news release, there’s an opportunity coming up Wednesday to help Yeakley and his family. On Wednesday, “His” Music Ministry is working with members of the Lindale community to present a benefit Fajita Dinner and Concert featuring Lindale’s own Casey Rivers as well as local entertainers Mike Huff, Steven Giles, McFarlin & Mabry and Iron Mountain Project. This event will be held at the Lindale High School campus at 902 E. Hubbard.
The Fajita Dinner will be from 5pm-7pm in the LHS Cafeteria and will include Fajitas with all of the fixings as well as dessert. The doors to the LHS Performing Arts Center will open at 6pm with the concert starting at 7pm. All seating will be on a first come basis and donations will be taken at the door for both events. Lindale Fire Departments, Public Information Officer, Lieutenant Aaron Munn stated “Due to sponsors, 100% of the donations received at this event will go to Joe and his family.” Yeakley is being treated for burns he sustained when a structure collapsed on him early in the morning on Friday, January 17. Yeakley is a 14-year veteran with the Lindale Fire Department with a total of over 30 years in the fire service.
This event is one of many benefits that the community has organized to raise money to help his family with expenses while FF Yeakley is recovering.
Future benefits include:
March 17th – “O, What-a-night” – Whataburger in Lindale located at 311 S. Main – 5-8pm – 50% of all sales will be donated to the Joe Yeakley Relief Fund. Lindale FD will also have a fire engine on display in the parking lot, and will be accepting donations.
March 25th – IHOP Gives Back – IHOP located at 3408 S Main St in Lindale will give 20% of all sales to benefit the FF Yeakley Relief Fund. There will also be events planned for the evening in the parking lot of the restaurant.
May 24th – “Not Your Average Joe” Auto & Cycle show – Pickers Pavilion (behind the Lindale Fire Department Central Station) – car show, live music, door prizes, and much more.
Donations can also be made at any Texas Bank & Trust location or mailed to Lindale Vol. Fire Dept., For Benefit of Joe Yeakley, P.O. Box 8, Lindale, TX 75771.
On another front, Help the Good Guys, a non-profit organization supporting injured first responders in financial need, has announced plans to assist Yeakley and another severely injured Texas firefighter. The effort began March 1 and continues through March 31. To start fundraising efforts, Help the Good Guys will donate $500 to each firefighter. There are many ways people and businesses can donate to the injured heroes, including making a donation on the Help the Good Guys website, downloading country songs by John Michael Montgomery and Ronnie Milsap on the website, or bidding on a Charlie Daniels signed fiddle on eBay. All money collected in March will be split between Yeakley and Captain William (Bill) Dowling of the Houston Fire Department. You can go to http://www.HelpTheGoodGuys.org for more information.
