Hudson helps a firefighter and an Armed Forces sergeant to the football championship with Team Canada – Montreal

It was loud and busy outside Sauve’s in Hudson on Sunday afternoon. Residents gathered for a bite to eat and to raise funds for a special member of the community.

« (Brigitte has) done so many fundraisers, for muscular dystrophy, and she’s so invested in others and now it’s time for us to give back to her, » said Tim Hiscox, who helped organize the Fund raising.

Brigitte O’Driscoll is a firefighter in Hudson and a sergeant in the Canadian Armed Forces. She has been in service since 2013 and is currently a door gunner with 438 Squadron, a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

In her spare time, she plays football and was recently selected by Team Canada to play at the world championship in Finland. But getting to the tournament is expensive. Each player must pay $4,000 to cover their travel, food and accommodation costs.

READ MORE: Regina Riot players raise funds to represent Team Canada at world championship

« It’s going to help me tremendously, » O’Driscoll said. « And all the money, that extra, will be shared equally with my teammates who will go to Finland. So it doesn’t just help me. It also helps my teammates.

Hiscox, who is also a firefighter in Hudson, says he and his wife heard about O’Driscolls’ GoFundMe campaign and decided to help out by hosting a small raffle to raise money.

But it eventually turned into a bigger event, once donations from local businesses started pouring in.

« In a small community, everyone stands up for each other, everyone helps each other, » O’Driscoll said. « And to see the actual support here, it’s just amazing. »

“People I don’t even know, coming up to me, congratulating me and encouraging me. It is quite impressive and very humiliating.

O’Driscoll leaves for Finland on July 21. The tournament begins a week later.

She hopes to help bring the championship home and says there’s nothing better than knowing her community will be watching and supporting her.