Seattle's Bravest Charity

Seattle's Bravest Charity Seattle's Bravest Charity is a 501 (c)3 non profit charity. Interested in making a donation to Seattle's Bravest Charity?

See our "Donate" Tab for more information! Seattle's Bravest Charity was founded in March of 1995 after four Seattle Fire Fighters lost their lives in the Mary Pang Arson Fire. Since its inception, it has helped victims of fire, founded a Home Rescue Program aimed at helping the elderly, donated hundreds of bike helmets to children in need, managed a scholarship fund for the children and relatives

of Seattle Fire Fighters. We have also raised money to build the Fire Fighter Memorial in Pioneer Square, as well as established the Walter Kilgore Honor Guard. The charity is also a supporter of the Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drums.

This past Father’s Day, the Charity hosted the 20th annual Mark Jones Softball Tournament. What an incredible day of so...
07/03/2026

This past Father’s Day, the Charity hosted the 20th annual Mark Jones Softball Tournament. What an incredible day of softball, family, friendship, and giving! Congrats to Station 6 for winning the tournament.

Because of your generosity and support, we continue to honor the legacy of Seattle firefighter Mark Jones while strengthening the firefighter tradition of taking care of our own.

This tournament has always been more than just softball. It's about bringing our families together, remembering a brother whose life changed in an instant, and reminding one another that no firefighter ever stands alone.

A heartfelt thank you to every player, volunteer, sponsor, donor, and fan who came together to make the Mark Jones Softball Tournament such a success, but especially to Taylor Magill and Joanna Kerber who took over organizing this tournament from Pierre Gauweiler. They and the rest of the volunteers did a phenomenal job. We also want to recognize and thank Pierre who led the tournament for many years.

To everyone who donated, sponsored, worked behind the scenes, cheered from the sidelines, or simply showed up—you made a difference. Every dollar raised and every smile shared helps carry on Mark's legacy and supports the mission of Seattle's Bravest Charity.

Mark Jones Committee:
• Taylor Magill
• Joanna Kerber
• Marcus Foucht-Osbourne
• Riley Dolan
• Jordan Neff

Thank you to the volunteers as we could not have done this without you:

Roger Bianchi, Garth Stroyan, Pat Dunn, Larkin Slattery, Hollie Lane, Rieley Morris, Richard Lootens, Cody Novak, Kristi Miller, Thomas Miller, Isabella Magill, Zain Ihsan, Lee Kerber, Erica Aldassy, Becky Bianchi and many more who helped day of.

Special thanks to:
• Amanda Abbott and Silver Fox for helping design the 2026 logo.
• Amanda Kent and N.E.A.D. Provisions
• Massage Traveler
• Gabby Smiley Facepainting
• Party Hoppers SeaTac
• Umpires
• DJ Pete
• Pete Jones and Family from Garage Beer
• Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drum Band

This wouldn't be possible without our sponsors so a huge THANK YOU to:
• Seattle Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 27
• Seattle Fire Department Officers’ Association
• Vimly Benefits Solution
• Garage Beer
• Happy Dad Seltzer
• XEVO Optics
• FireDog Photos

Photos couresty of FireDog Photos.

Please have the whole family join us on June 21, (Father's Day), to honor and celebrate Dads and also to raise money for...
04/19/2026

Please have the whole family join us on June 21, (Father's Day), to honor and celebrate Dads and also to raise money for our Catastrophic Fund at the Mark Jones Softball Tournament.

01/05/2026

January 5, 2026

It’s been thirty-one years since the night Greg, Randy, Walt and Jim were taken from us in a senseless and selfish act, an act which they met with unquestioning courage and sacrifice. That night tore a hole through families, communities and firehouses, a gap that is still felt today for some as keenly as the night it happened.

As we pause to remember the passing of another year since that horrible night, I can’t help but wonder what effect time has on how we view what happened. The ranks of those who knew these four have grown noticeably thinner with the passage of time. How will they and the events of that night be remembered as the years continue to pass? What responsibility do we have to sustain that memory and how do we meet that rather sacred obligation?

As always, I feel we must start with those who have paid the greatest price; the families and friends of these four who gave so much. For many of us this is a single day of the year, a moment in time, but there are those who still pass pictures in the hallway every day and remember the smile, touch or laughter now absent. I think one way for us to honor their sacrifice is in how we show up for those we love every day. That tragic night in January should remind us how temporary this all is and that we should work to bring gratitude into our daily interactions with those around us. I recall my own experience on that night, leaving home to head into the city. My two daughters asleep and their mother asking why I had to go; “Why you?” she asked– At the time a seemingly absurd question. Only now do I recognize the depth of dread and uncertainty that must have accompanied it when four souls were already missing. It’s important to honor that daily sacrifice, that uncertainty, those who love us feel whenever we head into the firehouse.

Something I feel is easily overlooked, mostly as a product of the quiet humility of those who were there, is the resolve and commitment of all those others who were present that night, those who tried to bring order to chaos and implemented genuinely heroic efforts to pe*****te the building to rescue those still inside. Those last living acts of those who saved members of their crew. We can all only hope to rise to such a level of instinctive selfless commitment should it ever be necessary. We should honor that legacy in our daily efforts to prepare for what is foreseeable and help each other be better every day. Details matter. Do the little things well so in that moment of crisis we can persevere and prevail. We owe it to those around us and those we leave at home.

The events that night have become a crystalizing moment for us as a community – or “tribe” if you will. It’s impact manifesting in some very real and tactile ways; It was the catalyst for the very memorial that bears the names of all those who died in its service, each name with their own stories and families. That monument creates a physical anchor, a sacred space in the heart of our community that raises our awareness of all the past individual sacrifices as well as the four we honor today. The vacuum felt in the days after the tragedy also gave rise to what are now cultural cornerstones of our “tribal” community; the Honor Guard that bears Walt’s name, the Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drums as well as our own Seattle’s Bravest Charity. All intended to provide comfort and a sense of belonging to those who might feel adrift or unmoored in the wake of any future tragedy. We must sustain these and other means of creating community and connection, so they are there for us when we need them.

The sacrifices of Walt, Randy, Greg and Jim helped give voice to our story and carve out a corner of the city for it to be told.

Our story is what connects us, defines us.

We must never allow comfort or complacency to cause us to abdicate our role in its curation. We are responsible for how it evolves, to ensure it is told truthfully and do the work to live the lessons it has taught us. We must burnish the memory without romanticizing it, remember the courage and unwavering commitment on display that night as well as the flaws and mistakes so that we might learn from all of it.

So, as we pause in this moment when we can see a time when those who are charged with the stewardship of the story will not have the benefit of a personal connection to these events, my hope is that you continue to be true to it, diligent in maintaining it and that you never have to experience your own chapter to retell it.

Frank Brennan
Director
Seattle's Bravest Charity

Address

517 2nd Avenue W
Seattle, WA
98119

Telephone

+12062851271

Website

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