Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation assists first responders in their time of need. When 911 is called, first responders show up with no questions asked. When a first responder or their family is in need, the Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation responds to help assist with no questions asked.

Thanks for joining us at Atrium Health Ballpark in downtown Kannapolis for our inaugural "Celebration of Heroes." Congratulations to Concord Police Department, who took home the inaugural Cabarrus Cup Trophy after two thrilling semifinal games and a 6-1 victory in the softball tournament championship.

Congratulations also to the CFD Blaze for their 11-7 victory over the CMPD Blue Hornets. CFD Blaze's starting pitcher Aaron Hoover took a no-hitter into the 7th inning, earning the Keffer Automotive Hometown Hero MVP Trophy en route to the Blaze's seventh win since 2010.

Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation would to thank all teams that participated in the Cabarrus Cup Tournament and the Charlotte Chief's Cup game. We also thank the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers staff, our volunteers and corporate partners, and our supporters for making this event a tremendous success. Join us again in 2024! More details to come.

The team of Charlotte Fire Department and MEDIC took home the Audi Charlotte Salute to Heroes Cup trophy with a 5-3 victory in our 15th annual Salute to Heroes Hockey game. Special congratulations to our first-ever female players, CMPD Officer Danielle Micozzi and EMT Christina Quintos, co-recipients of the 2023 Planet Automotive Sportsmanship Award. We can't wait for 2024!

Thank you to Stick With Us Foundation for their second annual Heroes Bowl on March 31 with proceeds benefitting Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation. The third-annual Heroes Bowl event is scheduled for Friday April 5, 2024. Check here or visit StickWithUs.org for more information as this date draws closer.

Thanks once again for your generosity! Together, we sold 134 dozens of Krispy Kreme's Original Glaze doughnuts. We raised $1,005 for Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation. We hope everyone enjoyed a safe, happy and healthy holiday season!

Fall in Love Again with First Responders

Thanks to the continued generosity of our friends in the Charlotte community, we raised $4,950 in cash and in kind gifts in profit at our third annual Fall in Love with First Responders event. Since 2020, we've raised over $11,500 at Rama Swim and Racquet Club. Check back for news on our fourth event.

Captain Michelle Hummel returned to the Appalachian Trail in September 2022 for her second section hike! In 2021, Captain Hummel hiked 1,300 miles and raised $10,000 for Charlotte-area charities near and dear to her heart. In total, she's now hiked 1,500 miles, starting in Pennsylvania on this trip and making her way through New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

Captain Hummel plans to do the rest of the Appalachian Trail in segments, so click here for updates. While you're at it, learn more about this epic journey and make a donation on her GoFundMe page.

A serious accident occurred on September 3, 2022, resulting in retired Charlotte Fire Captain Tripp Fincher fighting for his life in a Kansas hospital. With the exceptional care provided by Wichita EMS, doctors and the medical team at Wesley Medical Center, Tripp would survive his injuries. The result was they saved Captain Fincher's life and prepared him for a long recovery.

Days later, Captain Tripp was informed that his condition was stable enough to move to a long-term rehabilitation facility necessary to continue his extensive recovery. After conversations with family and fellow Charlotte Fire members, Tripp requested, "Please bring me home to Charlotte to continue my recovery."

Over his 28-year career as a first responder, Captain Fincher helped many in the community and first responders in their time of need. Multiple teams in Charlotte collaborated to determine what we can do to bring Tripp home. The only way was by medical air evacuation flight. Together, our teams determined how to make this happen and what financial burden this would create. The financial support needed to bring Tripp home for necessary care and rehab compelled so many in our community to step up and lend a hand.

As first responders, someone in need calls 9-1-1, and out the door they go, no questions asked. This is what they do; it's in their DNA. To have the community step up and answer Captain Fincher's call was not surprising. Over a few short weeks, many answered the call for help and made donations critical to nearly reaching our GoFundMe goal. Tripp, the Fincher family, Charlotte Fire, and Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation couldn't have brought Tripp back to Charlotte without your amazing support.

Every donation made it possible for Tripp to have a safe return to Charlotte via Atrium Medical Air flight. He is now receiving around-the-clock care at Atrium Healthcare Rehab in Pineville with a focus on getting better each day and walking out of the hospital sooner than later. We want to thank everyone who donated online and those who mailed in donations.

A special thanks to Michael A. Kahn Family Foundation, Charlotte Checkers, Keffer Automotive, Carolina Brotherhood Ride, The Palmer Building, Beaver and Beaver LLC, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Harris Teeter, Charlotte Knights, Hawthorne’s NY Pizza, David C. Ruckman Creative, Zac Harvey, Atrium Med Air, GMR EMS Wichita, Atrium Healthcare Rehab Pineville, Pineville Fire Department, Mecklenburg EMS, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte news media, and all of Captain Fincher’s past/present members with Charlotte Fire.

Thank you for your support and generosity. Donations will always be accepted to support first responders in their time of need at charlottesalutetoheroes.com or by mail at 11809 Pheasant Lane Charlotte NC 28277.

On Monday May 16, 2022, the NYPD 10-13 Club of Charlotte, NC, Inc. sponsored the eighth annual Jimmy LaRossa Memorial Golf Tournament at Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation. Jimmy LaRossa, a former NYPD police officer and member of the Club was murdered on April 10, 2012.

Proceeds from the tournament benefitted both the Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation and the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee.

On December 22, 2021 at 3:30 a.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Mia Goodwin was killed in the line of duty just days after returning from maternity leave. Officer Goodwin was assisting traffic at the scene of a car crash on W.T. Harris Blvd when a tractor-trailer and semi-truck with a trailer collided. The tractor-trailer struck Officer Goodwin's patrol car, killing her. The six-year veteran of CMPD is survived by her husband, Charlotte Firefighter Brenton Goodwin, and her three children.

Following her tragic death, Charlotte-area businesses and breweries organized "Craft Brewers for a Cause" with the help of Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation, raising over $27,000 to benefit Officer Goodwin's family. We at Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation thank everyone who helped put on this wonderful event. We would also like to thank nonprofit organizations like Tunnel to Towers Foundation who paid off the mortgage on the Goodwin family's home.

Charlotte Chief's Cup Baseball made a triumphant return to Uptown Charlotte at Truist Field, home of the Charlotte Knights on the 20th anniversary of 9-11. The Charlotte Fire Department Blaze dominated with home-run power and strong pitching to win 14-5 over the rival Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Blue Hornets in front of over 4,000 screaming fans. Our night ended with a fireworks spectacular befitting of a celebration of First Responders, Public Safety Officers and local heroes in North and South Carolina.

The Salute to Heroes Hockey Game is played to honor those who serve, have served and have been injured or lost in the line of duty. Proceeds from the game benefit the Salute to Heroes Charlotte Foundation. To purchase tickets to the game, please visit the Tickets page. If you would like to become a Corporate Partner for the event, please email Marc Bochicchio today.

May 2020 - Present

Salute to Heroes Charlotte Inc. is a 501-C(3) non-profit organization formerly known as Great Balls of Fire Inc. In May 2020, the foundation's name changed to align more closely with the organization's growth. While the foundation's mission - supporting first responders and their families in times of need - has not changed, the COVID-19 pandemic brought additional opportunities to help support our Frontline Heroes.

Our annual Charlotte Salute to Heroes Charity Hockey match continues to serve as our main fundraising event, However, we have partnered to help create other events and programs that support Frontline Heroes.


Partnership with Mecklenburg EMS

Feed the Frontline Mecklenburg was created by Mecklenburg EMS in partnership with Salute to Heroes Charlotte Inc. (Great Balls of Fire Inc.) and Charlotte Salute to Heroes Hockey. The mission was to provide on-duty meals to Heroes serving on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to feed every public safety member or support staff in Mecklenburg County at least once. In addition to feeding first responders, the program has helped to coordinate meals for other Frontline Heroes - doctors, nurses, and other various medical professionals and support staff.

The program has a huge impact on the business community as well. We purchase meals from local restaurants at full price to support these businesses and their team members who have all been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Truly, this has been a win-win situation.


Partnership with Firehouse Subs

Feed the Truckers was the creation of Tim Goss with Firehouse Subs. Goss and Firehouse Subs asked to create a partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to provide coordination and volunteers for events at North Carolina weigh stations. When truckers pull in their vehicles to be weighed, volunteers provide the truckers with complementary box lunches and beverages. Truckers are real Heroes. Without them, our country's essential supplies - food, water, medicines and more - would not reach our communities in their time of need.


Prior to May 2020

Great Balls of Fire Inc., founded by Officer Danny Graham in late 2006, had one mission: to assist sworn public safety personnel with financial need due to injury or illness. Inspiration for the creation of the organization came after a friend, Officer John Pou, was paralyzed from the chest down in a tragic accident in June 2005. As medical expenses mounted, the financial drain on the Pou family became burdensome and officers sought a way to offer financial assistance to the family. The Great Balls of Fire Charitable Foundation was born.

In 2017 Great Balls of Fire Inc. became the primary Foundation for the Annual Charlotte Heroes Hockey Game. The Foundation now supports sworn public safety members and their families in both North and South Carolina. In addition to helping public safety members and families, the Foundation supports other accredited 501-C(3) Foundations that assist public safety and military families in need.

Through the help of various organizations and countless volunteers, we've been able to assist a number of public safety families in their time of need without them asking for help. Click here to see some of the organizations and foundations the game supports. On behalf of Charlotte Heroes Hockey, we thank you for your interest and support.

For more information, contact Marc Bochicchio:
marc.bochicchio2005@gmail.com | 704-819-6725

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