Annual barbecue supports advanced life support training

Islamorada Fire Chief Terry Abel grilling.
Chef and Islamorada Fire Chief Terry Abel in his element behind the grill during the Givin’ It Back barbecue this spring at Founders Park. El Jefe will be back behind the grill Saturday, Sept. 21, for the seventh annual BBQ fundraiser at Islamorada Moose Lodge, MM 81.5. WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

Barbecue smells will fill the air in and around the Islamorada Moose Lodge on Saturday, Sept. 21, as chef and Islamorada Fire Chief Terry Abel gets behind the grill for the seventh annual BBQ fundraiser.

The annual event, hosted by the Islamorada Firefighters’ Benevolent Association and Islamorada Moose Lodge, supports geriatric and pediatric advanced life support classes for rescuers not only in the village, but also throughout Monroe County. Funds generated from last year’s BBQ supported a six-day pre-hospital trauma life support class, allowing rescuers to hone their skills while learning new techniques. 

The BBQ will go from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the lodge. Raffle and dinner tickets can be purchased in advance for $10 or $12 at the door. A raffle prize for a dinner for eight at Chef Michael’s will be drawn. Tickets are on sale at the Moose Lodge and Fire Station 21 at Founders Park. 

Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.