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Brinker volunteers show local kids how a hose nozzle works/ Courtesy Brinker VFD -
The Brinker VFD crew/ Courtesy Brinker VFD -
Volunteers serve up BBQ fixings/ Courtesy Brinker VFD
Money raised will repair trucks
After a setback from COVID-19 had them postpone their signature May crawfish boil, Brinker Volunteer Fire Department wasn’t going to let the virus stop them from serving their community. The men and women of Brinker VFD threw together a BBQ, and brought in enough money to rehab one of their trucks, according to Chief Carl Nix.
With sponsors and community support, the VFD raised about $8000, according to Brinker’s Wade McDaniel.
“It’s just about already spent though,” he joked. “We’ve had thousands of dollars of expense getting the trucks up to inspection.”
Grants for small VFDs, like Brinker, are difficult to come by, McDaniel said. Colleagues at Pickton-Pine Forest and Arbala VFDs have mentioned waiting 8 years or more for state or federal grants, whereas community fundraisers have allowed them to purchase supplies in one third of the time.
But holding events like the June 28 BBQ are about more than raising money, said Nix. Events where firefighters and citizens meet, mingle and share fellowship are about fostering a sense of community, Nix said.
“It was lots of kids, lots of families, and we were open for about eight hours,” McDaniel added. “It was a really fun time for everyone.”
“We want to let the community see the station and meet the volunteers… I sound like a broken record sometimes, but the whole area out here is absolutely wonderful in supporting what we do,” Nix said.
Nix said with the support of the commissioner’s court and Hopkins County EMS, Brinker VFD has more community events planned. Both Nix and McDaniel are looking forward to expanding the station’s training programs, and “we always need more volunteers,” McDaniel said.
“We’ve very gracious,” said Nix. “Without our community, we couldn’t exist. We just couldn’t survive.”