ST. LOUIS – The annual Guns ‘N Hoses event at Enterprise Center presented a huge check Wednesday from last year’s event.

The event raised one million dollars for the BackStoppers this past November.

“That’s two years in a row at a million dollars, and how they’ve supported us,” said Chief Ron Battelle, executive director of the BackStoppers. “My reaction to that is thank you to the community for all they did to support us.”

For the second year in a row, the boxing match, which features St. Louis police, firefighters, and EMTs going toe to toe, was carried live on FOX 2.

It is also the second year in a row that a million dollars have been raised for the nonprofit that assists first responder families.

“We had the opportunity to get involved with the stations in 2019,” said Kurt Krueger, general manager of KTVI and KPLR 11. “It’s such a great organization that I couldn’t pass the opportunity. Now, COVID came along and made it difficult. But when we had a live broadcast last year, it was amazing. Really, it’s a TV moment now in St. Louis, the day before Thanksgiving. To be able to have that kind of event and raise one million dollars for the BackStoppers. It’s such an important cause.”

BackStoppers, with an annual budget of $2.5 million a year, welcomes the one-million-dollar donation.

The annual event, which has grown over the years, will see its 35th boxing night return this year in November to Enterprise Center with television coverage on FOX 2, starting at 6:30 p.m.

“When we take on a family as survivors of police, fire, and EMS, we pay the mortgage,” Battelle said. “We pay the health insurance, which is tremendously high. We pay the education for the kids. I always say we cover the children from daycare through college, and that’s what we do.”

FOX 2’s Jasmine Huda will host the Guns ‘N Hoses banquet Thursday night at River City Casino.