Multiple Richmond public safety agencies hold flag football tournament for burn victims

Sep 13, 2025 - 16:25

0 0

Multiple Richmond public safety agencies hold flag football tournament for burn victims

RICHMOND, Va (WRIC) -- Multiple Richmond public safety agencies hosted their inaugural flag football tournament on Saturday morning to support burn victims.

The morning of Saturday, Sept. 13, the Richmond Fire Department, Richmond Police Department, and Richmond Sheriff`s Office teamed up with regional partners for the inaugural Richmond Public Safety Flag Football Tournament at Gillies Creek Park Football Field.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Central Virginia Burn Camp, a nonprofit organization that provides a free, week-long summer camp for kids who have survived burn injuries, a release said.

Liz Bowers, a burn outreach coordinator at Evans-Haynes Burn Center at VCU Health, said they are the only American Burn Association-verified burn center in the Commonwealth.

"I think this event really puts focus on the burn survivors and the burn survivor experience," Bowers said. "There are many long-term challenges that burn survivors experience throughout their course of treatment for many years after that. Having a resource like the Central Virginia Burn Camp is vital for their long-term emotional, psychological well-being."

Cameron Yudkin, a family nurse practitioner on the burn center at VCU Health, said any time they can get the word out about fire safety and burn survivors is "important."

"It's a topic that is not really talked about a lot because people don't realize the prevalence of it," Yudkin said. "Anything like this that can raise money and support those burn survivors is important."

Yudkin said those who may not be able to attend can donate on Central Virginia Burn Camp's website.

The 7-on-7 competition included teams Richmond Fire, Richmond Police, Richmond Sheriff's Office, Chesterfield Fire and EMS, Chesterfield Sheriff's Office and Henrico Fire.

"It's really important that we be involved in community events and events that support burn survivors." Bowers said. "We partner with {the Central Virginia burn camp] to make sure that children who have suffered burns have access to this amazing resource."

Richmond public safety agencies host inaugural flag football tournament to support Central Virginia Burn Camp on Sept. 13. (Photo: William Berksteiner, 8News)

Yudkin said she's experiencing mainly "joy" when she attends a cause of this nature.

"It's always such an amazing thing to see people come together for something like this," Yudkin said. "You don't know how many people there are supporting your cause until you come out to something like this, and it's just really amazing to see."

The camp "builds confidence, create[s] community, and ensures kids know they`re not alone in their recovery journey," public safety officials said.