INDIANAPOLIS — Several local firefighters and police officers will lace up their boxing gloves to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation with the 911 Slugfest.
The event is 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at Tyndall Armory, 711 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.
“(The cause) is why so many of the guys are into the event,” said Kurt Spivey of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and head of the event. “There are a couple of guys who have a very close ties to Make-A-Wish. One of the guys who is fighting has a daughter who is a Make-A-Wish kid. So many of these guys go to work each day to serve the community and it’s just going above and beyond to participate in this event and raise money for this great organization.”
Spivey said Hendricks County residents are a staple at the event.
“In past years, Hendricks County has been one of our larger participants, outside of Marion County,” he said. “In the past we’ve had a lot of participants from Avon, Plainfield, and Brownsburg.”
This year, the event will feature Pete Fleck and Corey Hill of the Brownsburg Police Department.
“This is my third time doing it and it’s always a blast,” Fleck said. “It really is a rush and (Spivey) really knows how to put on a program that puts the fighters together according to skill level.”
Though there is a natural rivalry between firefighters and police officers, all are participating to help others. The team with the most victories after 15 bouts takes control of the “Staff of Champions” team award.
“It’s a really great opportunity to kind of keep up with that friendly rivalry,” Hill said. “We definitely feel kind of unionized as each profession.”
Though the rivalry is there, the two parties are able to come together and accomplish a goal of raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Every year, (it is a great cause),” Fleck said. “I think the first year that I did it, it was for 9-11 survivors. And now, with the Make-A-Wish Foundation ... how can you top that?”
This is Hill’s first time to participate, but he says he’s up for the challenge.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Hill said. “Just being a part of the Brownsburg Police Department and doing it seemed like a pretty good fit ... This is a great opportunity to represent the department and doing it for a great cause, while having some fun.”
In addition to serving on the same force, Fleck and Hill also share a fighting background with boxing, kickboxing, and some Jiu Jitsu and MMA thrown in.
General admission tickets will be available at the door for $8 for adults and $5 for children. In addition, there will be an after party at The Elbow Room Pub, 605 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.
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