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Helping free fire hydrants: Community service starts young

Who thinks about needing fire hydrants in the winter? Junior hockey players.

Marquetteís 12U A Homestead Graphics Junior Wildcat hockey team dug out fire hydrants on Jan. 28 along Fair Avenue to Lakeview Arena, specifically from Lakeshore Boulevard to the roundabout.

The good deed started when the Marquette City Fire Department made a Facebook post about people adopting fire hydrants and helping keep them clear this winter.

Coach Mark Janofski, a former lieutenant with Chocolay Fire-Rescue in Chocolay Township, got the idea for a community service project held with his players.

The team plans to adopt the fire hydrants they cleared and continue to work in the area as needed through the rest of hockey season.

Janofski posted on Facebook the evening of Jan. 28 about the kids having had that lesson in community service.

ìMy favorite comment of the night was Ã- ëHey Coach, Community service is fun! When can we do it again?’î the post read.

He also posted that the kids were ì100% on boardî with adopting hydrants.

ìThe high fives were an added bonus,î Janofski wrote.

In fact, the fire department posted a video of these high fives on its page.

Community service isnít always fun, and itís not supposed to be. However, this was a great way to get kids hooked on helping the community, leading to greater intrinsic awards along the way.

It also could inspire other people to get involved. One person who posted on the fire departmentís Facebook page indicated that if she lived in Marquette, should would love to adopt some fire hydrants.

By the way, the Marquette City Fire Department stopped by with a fire truck to thank the players for their good deed. Itís cool for kids to see a fire truck up close, but earning the visit through helping the community is doubly exciting.

Not only do the firefighters thank the kids, we thank them as well.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette

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