“We want to keep the memory of Chris alive and this is how we feel will do so.”
Hunter’s Heroes Foundation was founded in April 2015 in honor of Cinnaminson Fire Department Lt. Christopher Hunter, who served the department for 22 years. Hunter, a lifelong Cinnaminson resident who joined the department at 16, passed away on Nov. 15, 2014, within 24 hours of working a shift and responding to emergency incidents.
Chris’ wife Claire founded the nonprofit foundation the following April to help provide education for first responders regarding fire training.
“Besides his family, Chris enjoyed educating himself on fire safety and training,” Hunter said. “He had over 60 books, and was constantly reading them to learn new techniques and advance his own skill set.”
Chris received many awards during his time with the Cinnaminson Fire Department, including the CPR Life Saver Award and Career Firefighter of the Year. In 2004, he received a meritorious service award from the 200 Club of Burlington County for his role in rescuing an Alzheimer’s patient from a burning apartment building.
The foundation has been able to use donations to purchase books that have been given to local libraries around Burlington and Camden counties.
“The Burlington County Library, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson and Willingboro all have books that we have given for educational purposes,” Hunter said. “The top 25 books that Chris was constantly reading are the ones we have aimed to give.”
Hunter’s Heroes has helped in numerous ways throughout the community, whether it is helping other foundations around the area or speaking at local events. Hunter recently spoke at a Stand Down event in Cinnaminson in July, while a scholarship has been given to Cinnaminson High School in Chris’ honor. Claire will also be attending the New Jersey Firemen’s Convention in Wildwood on Sept. 15, and the 2nd annual Beef and Beer fundraiser is slated for Nov. 11 in Moorestown.
“We had 150 people attend the Beef and Beer in 2016, and we hope to see that number increase this year,” Hunter said. “Our Facebook page has been huge for us to get people informed about our foundation, while word of mouth has also played a factor. We also donated over $2,000 back to the Cinnaminson community during the holidays last year.”
Hunter will also give a similar speech at the Burlington County Fire Academy on Nov. 18 in regard to her experiences. Just like her husband, Hunter will look to help educate others about the importance of learning.
“We want first responders to be able to better educate themselves,” Hunter said. “Along with the books available in the libraries, we hope to start classes in the future as another educational tool for others. We want to keep the memory of Chris alive and this is how we feel will do so.”
For more information regarding Hunter’s Heroes Foundation and its upcoming events, check https://www.facebook.com/huntersheroesfoundation/.
