FENELON FALLS - He may have been Whitby's fire captain, but he had become one of Fenelon Falls' favourite sons, a packed United Church heard on Tuesday (February 9) at the funeral of Michael Hutchings.Mr. Hutchings died on Feb. 5 from cancer. A full firefighter funeral - with more than 100 firefighters marching behind a pumper truck - marked the solemn occasion.While Mr. Hutchings worked in Whitby, he and his family had lived in Fenelon Falls for more than 15 years.Next door neighbor Ken Shipman recalled the day he moved next door to Mr. Hutchings. He handed him a beer and joked that the property values would plummet and his grass would die - to which Mr. Hutchings' retorted property values only mattered if you were selling and he hated cutting grass.

"He always made you feel comfortable, whether you had just met him or had known him for years," Shipman said.

He also joked about the time Mr. Hutchings was working on the fuel line on Shipman's car and the fireman managed to set the car ablaze.

Mr. Hutchings would also complete the friend's shared projects, saying he could do it in half the time, with half the frustration.

In an apathetic world, Shipman said Mr. Hutchings was refreshingly direct and honest. "He always said what he felt and did so with conviction."

He also spoke of his friend's love of family, sitting and holding hands, hugging on the dock or sharing a morning beverage with his wife, Leslie. He described him as a teasing and cajoling father who, nevertheless, always taught his children (Julie, Callie, Parker, Logan, Abigail) respect.

Rev. Michelle Brotherton spoke at length of her friendship with Mr. Hutchings. She said he was a breath of fresh air, jumped in to help, motivated by the needs of others, not self-interest and his humor.

She joked that he "somehow got under your skin and into your heart.

Some people make the world special just by being in it." She called him a hero, for his firefighting efforts "but because of his character, the man that he was."

She said while he was just a normal man. he was "a big man in spirit. He took up the whole room, whatever room he entered."

And, on Tuesday, he took the whole room with him as mourners poured out of the United Church and made their way to his final resting place in his adopted, and beloved, Fenelon Falls.

Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service chief Dave Guibault first met Mr Hutchings when the latter joined the City of Kawartha Lakes Master Fire Plan Task Force as a member of the general public at least four years ago.

Guibault said Mr. Hutchings brought a wealth of valuable knowledge, especially about firefighting equipment, to the master plan "to help improve the fire service within the City of Kawartha Lakes."

Guilbault said Mr. Hutchings was committed, never missed a meeting, always did his homework and spoke candidly, which garnered respect.

While he did not work with him as a firefighter, Guibault said Mr Hutchings was "well-liked and highly thought of" in the firefighting community.

It is with great sadness that Whitby Fire and Emergency Services advises that Captain Michael (Mike) Hutchings passed away after a courageous battle with cancer on Friday,  February 5, 2010.   Mike joined WFES on May 22, 1980 as a Volunteer Firefighter and on October 1, 1984 Mike was hired as a Probationary Dispatcher.   Mike moved to Fire Suppression on March 16, 1987 and became a Captain on January 7, 2002, a position he held until his death.

Mike had an extreme passion for apparatus and equipment and much of the equipment we have in our Department today is a direct result of Mike's tireless research and efforts. For Mike, it was all about "getting the best for the Staff "! 

Mike is the first active member of our Department to have passed away, and I know this is a difficult situation for all of us. We all know that a firefighter has two homes. One is with his family and the other is with the  crew in which he/she works with.    We have lost a member of our family, and because of this we will all grieve.

Mike was just eleven (11) months away from retirement. It just doesn't seem fair.   Mike will be missed  but he will not be forgotten. We are all better off because of our association and friendship with him.

Mike is survived by his wife Leslie, and children Julie, Callie, Parker, Logan and Abigail.

God Speed, and peace be with you Mike.

WHITBY -- Whitby's firefighters are helping change the face of men's health by growing moustaches as part of a national campaign.

The Movember campaign was launched in Australia in 2003 in an effort to raise awareness about prostate cancer.

"Cancer has affected everyone in some way, whether it is a family member or a friend or themselves," said Ken Van Staveren from the Whitby Professional Firefighters Association.

"By becoming actively involved in the Movember initiative, Whitby firefighters are raising awareness of the prevalence of this disease."

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer that affects Canadian men with 25,000 diagnosed annually and at least one in every six Canadian men expected to develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

All money raised will go directly to Prostate Cancer Canada for the development of programs related to awareness, public education, advocacy, support of those affected and research into the prevention, treatment and cure.

Donations can be made online through the official Movember website at www.movember.com. Click donate and select the team, Whitby Professional Firefighters.