2025 Cast it Forward Recipients

The 2025 Cast it Forward initiative was inspired by the firefighters who helped protect Flin Flon during the summer wildfires, and by the many firefighters across North America who quietly serve their communities every day.

This year’s initiative had two parts. Scroll below to see the recipients of each:

• Part One: Honouring firefighters who helped save Flin Flon
• Part Two: Honouring firefighters nominated by the Kississing community

EXTENDING OUR GRATITUDE – IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WINNIPEG JETS

While we were only able to host a limited number of firefighters at Kississing Lake Lodge for Firefighter Appreciation Week (July 17-21), we wanted to extend our gratitude even further.

We’re honoured to share that we’ve partnered with the Winnipeg Jets to recognize all Manitoba firefighters who helped protect Flin Flon during the 2025 wildfires. Every Manitoba firefighter who served in Flin Flon will be offered tickets to the Jets’ March 15 home game, with the opportunity to bring family members. During the game, there will be a special in-game moment dedicated to recognizing these firefighters — shared with their families, Jets fans, and the broader Manitoba community.

We are deeply grateful to Mark Chipman and the Winnipeg Jets organization for their generosity and support in making this possible.

A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CAST IT FORWARD

Many people reached out asking how they could help support this effort. In response, we’re offering an opportunity to contribute toward the purchase of ticket packages for the Manitoba firefighters who helped save Flin Flon.

There is absolutely no expectation to give — this is simply a chance to stand alongside those who stood for our community. All donations will be matched by Curt, Juanita, and their family, and ticket pricing has been generously reduced by the Jets.

Each ticket package includes a game ticket, a $10 concession gift card, and a Winnipeg Jets toque.

Examples:

• $80 sends one firefighter
• $160 sends a firefighter and a guest
• $800 sends ten people

Part One Recipients: Firefighters Who Helped Save Flin Flon

During the 2025 wildfire emergency, firefighters from across Manitoba answered the call to protect the community of Flin Flon. From the nominations received, 26 firefighters were selected to attend Firefighter Appreciation Week at Kississing Lake Lodge (July 17–21, 2026).

Ten recipients were selected based on nomination stories, with the remaining recipients selected through a random draw from the remaining nominees. All recipients have been notified, and alternates have been identified should any firefighter be unable to attend.

The following firefighters are being honoured for their service in Flin Flon:

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would also like to recognize Ray and Paul Rossington, a father-and-son team from Flin Flon who remained behind during the wildfires to assist firefighting efforts with heavy machinery. In appreciation of their contribution, Ray and Paul will each be welcomed to Kississing Lake Lodge for a fishing trip at a later date.

Part Two Recipients: Kississing Community

In addition to honouring the firefighters who helped protect Flin Flon, we also invited our Kississing community to take part in this year’s Cast it Forward initiative by nominating firefighters from their own lives and communities.

From these nominations, three firefighters were selected — two from Canada and one from the United States — to join Firefighter Appreciation Week at Kississing Lake Lodge (July 17–21, 2026).

Philippe Rouleau

Nominated by: Mark Lamer

First of all, thanks for this great initiative. I had the chance to fish Hassett Lake Outpost a few years ago and can’t wait to repeat this incredible experience. I often talk to my best friend, and the actual firefighter I want to present to you, about the incredible fishing quality that you offer.

Philippe Rouleau has been a firefighter in service since 2002 in a small rural community one hour south of Quebec City named Lac-Etchemin. He’s always the first and last to leave the fire site.

His job brings him to be involved in big wildfires across Canada. Last summer he was the supervisor of the firefighter security from SOPFEU (specialized wildland firefighters in Quebec) in the La Ronge wildfire in Saskatchewan in July 2025. He works for a security mutual preventing job accident (including wildfire fighters).

Philippe is a father of four children from 19 to 12. He works hard for them and supports his wife that has health issues. He supports his elderly parents as well. He never says no to helping others and asks for nothing in return.

I hope one day he will enjoy a place like yours, but for now, he has too many financial obligations. Maybe he will be one of your privileged guests this year.

Thanks again for this great initiative for firefighters across North America.

James Bright

Nominated by: James (Jim) Yuel

I would like to nominate James Bright. James is a firefighter with the city of North Battleford. When the fires got serious in Northern Saskatchewan and the Manitoba border area, the call went out for volunteers to assist the northern communities. James volunteered and along with a small contingent of additional volunteers and a pumper truck, travelled to the Lac La Ronge area to assist.

He remained in the area working seven-day weeks for over three weeks, often for 12–14-hour days, for no additional pay, and at the sacrifice of spending summertime with his wife and two small children. His motivation was purely that the situation needed him!

I believe he is representative of the vast majority of men and women who answered the call this past spring and summer.

Eric Cracraft

Nominated by: Kirk Worthington

Eric Cracraft is a volunteer Fire fighter in Comfort, Texas. On July 4th, a severe flash flood happened on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, Texas. Over 100 people lost their lives in the river, including 27 young girls from a summer camp (Camp Mystic) on the Guadalupe River. Eric spent the night until 4:00 a.m., extracting bodies from the river. Trained in swift water rescue, Eric stepped up and took on a role no human should have to do. A true hero.