ST. LOUIS – First responders from the St. Louis area rallied in the ring at Enterprise Center the night before Thanksgiving, throwing down at the 36th annual Guns ‘N Hoses, the charity fight event benefiting The BackStoppers.
Participants and organizers say the event shows how much the connection between the community, law enforcement, and firefighters has grown over the years.
“This is our 36th year, and it remains all about the cause,” David Stokes, president of the Guns ‘N Hoses Boxing Association, said. “That cause is to raise the necessary funds to support the survivor families of fallen first responders.”
Since the first Guns ‘N Hoses event in 1987, they’ve raised more than $11 million for families of first responders who have died or been seriously injured while in the line of duty.
Ron Battelle, former chief of the St. Louis County Police Department and executive director of The BackStoppers, expects they’ve raised around a million dollars for the 2023 event. The exact total won’t be announced until late February 2024.
“You gave your loved one to us, we’re gonna do what we can to help you,” Battelle said.
At present, the nonprofit is assisting 95 families and 70 dependent children.
On Wednesday, the Blue Team bested the Red Team across 12 boxing and mixed martial arts matches, winning the night with a record of 8-3-1.
