News : Pink Heals truck visits shop that painted it

[caption id="attachment_23338" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dallas Fairbanks joined Dennis Bramow with the Pink Heals truck to visit cancer survivor Connie Elliott at Thompson Truck and Trailer in Cedar Rapids, where the body shop crew painted it pink.[/caption] When Travis Thompson agreed to paint the Pink Heals Eastern Iowa fire truck, he had just one request of Dennis and Diana Bramow: Bring the finished truck back to Thompson Truck and Trailer to honor cancer survivors, particularly employee Connie Elliott, a five-year survivor. On Monday, the Bramows complied with that request, driving the 1989 Pierce Arrow fire truck now sporting the Dupont Bright Pink paint scheme to the Cedar Rapids shop which did the work. While many of the Pink Heals trucks are named after a specific woman who had cancer, this truck will always be known as Engine 91, in thanks and tribute to the Marion FD, which donated it. Accompanied by Dallas Fairbanks, the son of Vinton firefighter Damien Fairbanks, who created and placed the decals on the truck, the Bramows pulled into Thompson Truck and Trailer with horns and sirens blaring. After circling the shop, Dennis drove the truck into the building where several employees had spent more than three weeks preparing and painting the vehicle. The Bramows then escorted Elliott to the truck, where she signed her name on it. Dennis and Diana each thanked Thompson for their donation. Travis Thompson also spoke, saying that while the company receives many requests for donations and sponsorships deciding to donate to this project was an easy choice. The retail estimate of the paint job, including materials and labor, was around $7,200. The company also has offered to perform regular oil changes on the truck; Thompson also gave the Bramows some mud flaps with the company logo on it for use on the truck. The employees joined the Bramows for a photo in front of the truck, then released pink balloons. Several others signed the truck in honor of loved ones who have fought cancer. New venture Bramow has been participating in waterball fights for several years, organizing Vinton events, competing at IFA Conventions and other contests. His pickup sports a firefighting-themed back window which includes a photo of him and teammate Chris Staab in a waterball contest. “I am hoping to win a championship,” says Dennis, adding that he is likely to spend much less time competing in waterball because of the hours he will be spending traveling the state in the pink fire truck. Over the weekend, the national Pink Heals Tour came through Vinton, as the Bramows and others welcomed four vehicles from Arizona and one from Sauk Valley, Ill. The Sauk Valley Pink Heals truck had visited Vinton last October, in an event Dennis had organized in honor of Diana, a cancer survivor who was the first to sign the truck when it came to Vinton. The Bramows will be taking the truck, as well as the police car donated by the Providence, R.I., Pink Heals Chapter, to various events. The next local one will be Boomfest this Saturday. Diana says she enjoys driving the pink car while Dennis drives the truck. As the only Pink Heals chapter in Iowa, Bramow expects to cover much of the state. While he loves water ball events, he says the Pink Heals visits are much more important. Young helpers and volunteers Dallas Fairbanks has volunteered for a couple of Pink Heals events, including Monday's visit to C.R. He said that his favorite experience so far was meeting Harold Shephard, who signed his well-known nickname, Shep, during the weekend tour in Vinton. The truck made several house calls in Vinton, so those who were not able to get downtown could sign their names. Bramow said the project will rely on many volunteers to help welcome those who come to sign the truck. He said he hopes to establish a guest book system so that he can keep an accurate total of the number of signatures on the vehicles. Pink Heals Tour touches many Along with the Pink Heals Eastern Iowa vehicles in Vinton, the Bramows welcomed five other vehicles, four from Arizona and one from Sauk Valley, Illinois, this past weekend. Many gathered downtown to sign the vehicles, and several cancer survivors received a home visit from one of the vehicles. Among those was recent cancer diagnosee Harold Shepherd, the long-time girls basketball coach. "We had a great time put a lot of smiles on people's faces," says Dennis. "We really surprised coach Shepard."