WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – After losing co-workers to suicide and cancer in recent years, Ben Ward decided something had to be done.

That’s why he helped organize a charity golf tournament, with the funds raised going to help other firefighters in the community.

On Sunday, the second edition of the New Hanover County Professional Firefighters Charity Golf Tournament was held at the Beau Rivage Golf Resort, attracting around 100 firefighters. The event expects to raise at least $10,000 to help firefighters both in Southeast North Carolina and the western part of the state, organizers said.

Those funds will go toward helping firefighters in the area struggling with financial or health-related hardships. Ward says it’s especially important to bring first responder mental health concerns to the forefront.

“We’re constantly battling that, and we’re trying to bring awareness to it and do whatever we need to do to be able to make sure our people are healthy – physically and mentally,” he said.

Brent Stophel, the chairman of the Professional Firefighters of New Hanover County Charitable Fund, agrees. That’s why he helped start a specific mental health fund for firefighters, which the golf tournament feeds into.

“Up until recently, mental health in the fire service has been just that black cloud, that stigma that nobody wants to talk about,” he said. “We’re trying to bring more light to that and the resources that are out there for our guys.”

This year, funds are also going to support first responders in Western North Carolina, where New Hanover County firefighters spent several days assisting with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

“We worked side-by-side with the fire departments out there, and those are our brothers and sisters, too,” Ward said. “They’re part of our extended community, so anything that we can do to help them out as that’s what the camaraderie is about.”

The tournament gave out hats that read, “Backing the Brotherhood.” Ward says it’s a motto the firefighters want to take with them beyond the course.

“We see a lot of things, and we go through a lot of processes, a lot of issues, so everything that we can bring in to help them make sure that they’re taken care of, so they continue their jobs and have a good mental well-being is important,” Ward said.

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