The Firebird Society of Bridgeport has performed mighty community and social work since its inception in 1983. That’s the message founding members Donald Day and Ron Mackey share in this commentary penned by Day following the arrest of Fire Captain Darrien Penix who was charged on Monday with second degree larceny accused of embezzling funds using the Firebird Society’s credit card and checking account for his personal use.
The fraternal organization created to fight for the rights of minority firefighters has stepped up on behalf of community charities as well, a message highlighting an effort larger than any one person.
From Donald Day:
After much consternation Ron Mackey and I as past Presidents and Founders of the Firebird Society decided that we must respond to the actions of the past president and his using the finances of the organization without permission. First let us say that we find the actions of the captain reprehensible and repugnant and in the thirty six (36) year history of our illustrious organization nothing this like has ever happened and like I told the vice president and the membership when we were first told of this incident and that they involved the police in this matter that it will have UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES for the Firebird Society. Remember those two words, UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES!
The Firebird Society has donated thousands of dollars to charitable organizations within the City of Bridgeport and for the most part has never said no to any request for help or assistance. Make no mistake about this, there is nothing that this individual did that should be considered a black eye toward the Firebird Society and we both think that this should have been handled internally, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE PAID THE MONEY BACK!
The very first smoke detector drive in the history of Bridgeport was done by me as President of the Firebird Society and Ron Mackey with the assistance of Kidde Corp and the Home Depot which donated smoke detectors to put in the homes of those people that didn’t have them or couldn’t afford them. The Firebird Society has given a cookout for thirty (30) years that is FREE to the public and in our heyday we fed three to four hundred people at our own expense. We’ve run study groups for hiring to the BFD that resulted in over forty young Blacks, Latinos and women being hired as Bridgeport firefighters. We have run study groups for promotions that have resulted in over thirty members of our organization being promoted to elevated ranks within the BFD. As you see we are a proactive organization that has an undivided and unyielding love for the city that pays our salary.
We find the actions of the vice president and the executive board to be counterproductive and against everything that the Firebird Society holds dear to the ideals and principles that aided us when this organization was first founded in 1983! Running to the police was a decision that was made by the vice president and the executive board and not that of the membership ESPECIALLY SINCE HE PAID THE MONEY BACK! I’ve never personally liked the captain, in fact when he first ran for president I told him and the membership that I thought that the organization deserved better than him because in my humble opinion he lacked a social conscience which is needed as our president for it to continue to grow and prosper.
Finally, those UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES that I spoke to earlier in this article, Chief Richard Thode immediately cancelled a boot drive to raise money that the Firebird Society did to benefit the Southern Connecticut Sickle Cell Association in their fight against sickle cell disease which primarily affects Blacks. How dare you Chief Thode cancel this worthwhile endeavor because of this incident involving the captain? All money collected went straight to the Southern Connecticut Sickle Cell Association in a ceremony in front of Headquarters and wasn’t touched by this captain or any members of the Firebird Society and to cancel this was punitive, cruel and draconian.
Day you didn’t pen this, Think about that next Sunday in church when you praise Jesus. JS 🙂
P.S “Day” When you speak of UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES, a black captain embezzled money from the Firebird organization within the BFD and you condemn the white chief for the UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES of the captain’s action. Good Job, Jesus must be proud. No wonder why you don’t have to go to church often. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn5_TCIK9LY
“Make no mistake about this, there is nothing that this individual did that should be considered a black eye toward the Firebird Society and we both think that this should have been handled internally, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE PAID THE MONEY BACK! ”
Someone with authority has been arrested and charged with a crime.
This is classic Day. Next he will claim racism is a factor.
This sort of snuck in beyond other posts. It is sad that one person crosses the line and uses their responsibility for their own good. The frailty of the human condition.
Frank, that’s exactly what Don and I said to each other, we had wonder why it was buried so far down but Lennie is the owner and he probably wanted to place it next to topic reply back to even if it got lost.
Frank, like you I would have rather seen it at the top of the posts, but I guess it’s like Mackey said Lennie ran the thread together.
Well Tom (being) White, my post was 700 words and you found 39 words that you use to show your bigoted nature and try to impugn my character. You could do better that, even the moron that posted put together a better response.
Tom (being) White, nothing about the Firebird Society running the 1st smoke detector drive in the history of the City of Bridgeport, nothing about us helping almost 100 Blacks, Latinos and women being hired and promoted in the Bridgeport Fire Department, just that we felt this should have been handled internally? Your motives are and have always been crystal clear, a complete animos of anything Black. 45 would be very proud of you Tom (being) White!
Don, Tom White being white is setting himself up to get a job with 45 along with Joe Ganim who will never say anything against 45. Tom White has to continue to keep his name out there and showing that he’s still Tom White being white.
This is the problem with you! You think everything is a race thing. It ain’t!! This is about CROOK who embezzles 15,000 and all you can say is: it should be handled internally? And oh yeah, he paid most of the money back already? Do you think he would have paid any money back if he wasn’t alerted by the Popo about the investigation? You should be embarrassed by your comments. But of course, you aren’t……. I bet this guy gets demoted to LT and takes the next captain test and finishes number 1 on the test. #Thisisbpt
#WhatanembarassmenttotheBFD
Day, I agree with you, but remember, this captains theft had UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES! 🙂 Not only the cancelation of a boot drive to raise money that the Firebird Society did to benefit the Southern Connecticut Sickle Cell Association in their fight against sickle cell disease which primarily affects Blacks. but a black eye in this illustrious organization.
P.S it was more like 500 + words and you did not pen this. Think about that the next time you’re in church. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br4tnE425y0
P.S put some ice on it, this Firebird theft will go away. 🙂
http://digg.com/video/seagull-steals-chips
Frank Cuccaro, this is the reason I said it should have been held internally because the white bigots like yourself would feel the need to spout your ignorance while not knowing what the hell you’re talking about. Every dime of that money came from the men and women of the Firebird Society! Not the city, not the state not from grants and certainly not from your punk ass. Unintended consequences are you spouting ignorance while trying to excoriate me. Like that ignorant Tom (being) White you say nothing about the Firebird Society running the 1st smoke detector drive in the history of the City of Bridgeport, nothing about us helping almost 100 Blacks, Latinos and women being hired and promoted in the Bridgeport Fire Department, NOTHING!
Do me a favor bigot, tell the Moron that every word of my letter was written by me and only me and this is what a quality high school education looks like. Tell your Mayor to fully fund the education of Bridgeport’s youth so that they are able to write intelligent, articulate letters like the one you said I didn’t.
Don, you see how dumb Frank is where he said, “do you think he would have paid any money back if he wasn’t alerted by the Popo about the investigation?” What a asshole, the money was paid back way before any police charges were made because it was done internally by the members and the captain said that he would pay the money back and he did.
Day, I feel your sentiments about Frank, considering a boatload of money walked out the evidence safe in BPD and nothing came of it. 🙂
May I ask how do The Firebirds get their funding? I’m sure the people who gave it to them didn’t expect it to be used for this captain’s personal used. Are we justifying criminality based on the source? That’s like saying I can rob my employer because I work there. Or like Frank’s people saying I can that drug dealer’s money because it’s obtained illegally. 🙂
If you say so, those are your words. They just seem out of character from your regular posts. Was it that same quality high school education that gave you the word that “black people will never vote for a Puerto Rican. BAM 🙂
P.S I may be a moron but those words seem to be, somewhat, on the racist side. Ever so, with or without the plagiarism, I still like you better than Ron. But he goes to church more than you. So be careful Day, Ron catching up to you 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRa7mQg73Eg
What does that even mean, fully fund the education, According to Maria, Finch received 7 million for the BOE, and Joe didn’t give a dime for the first three years in office, yet they, BOE, made 50 million in cuts? Tell Hartford and the governor about the need to fully funding the education of the Bridgeport’s youths. Policy-wise there shouldn’t even be a debate on students who have out-dated or having to share books. We should give them a lap-top with ebook, writing, and education enhances the software. It would amaze you at who tech has advanced in the last 15 years. Not to mention the benefit to the teachers. but that board policy not funding. Unfortunately “your” captain is not the only person who used the funding for personal used. The BOE made 50 million in cuts and I would bet the drop-out rate or the actual overall performance didn’t decline. in the last 4 years. JS
The saddest part is, with a 2 dollar investment every child in the Ports education system could have there owned lap-top with access to any e-book and educational, teaching software. But you focus on funding. JS
Don, I’m glad that you mentioned that funding of money for the Firebird Society comes from the members paying dues just like the union does every week, there is no money from the city, the state or any type of grants. We have a duty and responsible to reach back to help others because there are those who pushed, fought and open the door for us.