Smokin’
Police officers and firefighters are the backbone of public safety in Cape Coral; they take criminals off the street, battle blazes and save lives every day, all while putting their own lives in danger.
Their jobs are taxing, both mentally and physically, and staying in peak physical shape is an important part of being effective at what they do.
But having a healthy physique seems to have paid off in a different way for members of the Cape Coral Police Department’s SWAT team and Cape Coral firefighters, who each posed for 2009 calendars to benefit the Police Athletic League and Firefighter’s Benevolence Fund, respectively.
Both calendars are available for purchase and feature male SWAT team members and firefighters in professional photographs for each month of the year.
“It takes a lot of work to do this right,” said officer Mike Anderson. “It gives you a focus to get in shape. It’s hard to get in that shape, but once you get there it’s easier to maintain.”
The SWAT team is selling its calendar to benefit the Police Athletic League, a youth athletic program for kids 8 to 18 years old that includes activities such as boxing, wrestling, martial arts and scuba diving.
“It builds a partnership with the community, the kids and the police,” Anderson said. “I’ve had this boxing program for approximately 15 years, and I see it working. This is going to get them out of trouble. It builds their self esteem. When we’re here, we’re a team.”
Kids involved with the program compete on a state and national level, and those interested in getting involved can call 242-3950, or visit the Cape Coral Youth Center, located at 315 S.W. 2nd Ave., Tuesday and Thursday nights, from 6 to 8:30, when wrestling and boxing practices are held.
This is the first year the SWAT team has made a calendar to raise money for the program.
“Every fire department with a hose has a calendar, but you don’t see too many SWAT calendars,” Anderson said.
Anderson said the officers are currently trying to find businesses to sell the calendars.
Those interested in helping can contact Sgt. Jimmy O’Brien by e-mail at jobrien@capecoral.net.
While the SWAT team is putting out its inaugural calendar, the firefighters have used a calendar to raise money for several years.
“This being our third year doing it, we put a lot of pressure on the guys,” said Jim Newland, who is also featured in the firefighter’s calendar for April. “The dieting that goes along with it … myself I’ve got 12 weeks of very strict diet prior to the photo shoots. You want to turn out the best product you can. Everyone puts a lot of effort into it, all the guys do.”
Newland said there’s a strong camaraderie between the firefighters and the SWAT team, and the two groups support each other in their fund-raising efforts.
The police and firefighters play an annual “Blue vs. Blaze” football game each January, as a show of their camaraderie.
“When you’re on the field, it’s football time,” Newland said, who also plays in the game. “But once it’s off the field, it’s all brotherhood.”
The Cape Coral Fire Department has used the calendar as a way to raise money for its benevolence fund, though they donated a portion of last year’s earnings to the family of Fort Myers Officer Andrew Widman, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this year.
“There’s no firemen and cops getting rich,” Newland said. “So when stuff like this hits and the insurance only picks up so much, it’s nice for the guys, just an extended family, to help each other out. Everywhere you go, a fireman is a fireman and a cop is a cop. Guys are hurt all the time in the line of duty. We’ve got to be able to step up and help.”
The benevolence fund benefits injured firefighters.
Newland said people from across the globe purchase the calendar, which was shot by local professional photographer Cherilyn Nocera with the family run and operated company Nocera Photographic.
“There’s no way it can be done, and I’m sure the cops will say the same thing, without Cherilyn and Phoebe (studio portrait designer) and their mom (retouching specialist and portrait artist),” Newland said.
“We love our community, we love our area, and we wanted always from day one to be there for the community,” Phoebe Nocera said. “When the police officers asked for our help, we said absolutely. It was such a success for the firemen, that SWAT probably thought, ‘Hey, we’re just as hot, we can do it to.'”
“We did a whole day of shoots at (the SWAT team training center),” Cherilyn said. “Probably about seven of the shots were out there, which makes a really neat backdrop to be there at the training center and see what they do. The others are here at the studio.”
Nocera Photographic also donated pictures of SWAT team members for a recent fund-raiser for the Easter Seals, during which the officers were auctioned off for dates.
Family portraits are the focus of Nocera Photographic, but they also take maternity pictures, high school senior portraits, pictures of newborns, pets and various others.
The Cape Coral firefighter’s calendar is available online at www.capefirefighters.net for a donation of $13.
The SWAT team calendar is currently available in limited supply at local CCCIA offices and Ooh La La Hair Salon, located at 1319 Cape Coral Parkway, E., for a donation of $10.
For more information about Nocera Photographic, visit www.noceraphotographic.com.