Omaha Fire Fighter Takes Bull by the Horns for MDA

October 22, 2012 – When Omaha, NE Local 385 fire fighter Tom Bartek was growing up, there was one thing he always wanted to try -- to ride a bull. With some encouragement from friends to fulfill his childhood dream, Bartek raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association by asking people to make pledges for every second on the bull.

Bartek had collected $2,000 by the time he entered the Sarpy County Rodeo.

On the day of the rodeo, nearly 50 fire fighters, friends and family came out to support Bartek. “Somehow I was immediately flipped around backwards,” he says.

While Bartek has no plans to try his hand at bull-riding again, he is happy that he realized his childhood dream while raising money for a good cause. Local 385 must be creative with its fundraising for MDA as the City does not allow fire fighters to the Fill-the-Boot from street corners.