By Jan Ehlert
BATTLE MOUNTAIN - The Battle Mountain Volunteer Fire Department (BMVFD) held their 74th Annual Raffle Jan. 1 at the Battle Mountain Fire Hall.
The BMVFD is composed of 25 volunteers under the command of Chief Bart Negro. The Battle Mountain Volunteer Fire Department members are Brian Garner, Jimmy Drown, Dan Baldini, Gary Sweeney, Don Negro, Cody Unger, Ed Sparks, Ron Unger, Max Bunch, Tony Moore, Bryan Sparks, John Davis, Rick Harless, Nick Ayers, Tom Walters, Larry Rogers, Frank Sullivan, Troy Price, Don Vankomen, Harry Dimtroff, Jay Goddard, Tim Bare, Frank Iturriaga and Scott Torgerson.
Every year the department collects hundreds of donations to be used in the annual raffle as prizes to the generous supporters that purchase raffle tickets in December. This year the volunteers gathered 721 prizes from businesses and individuals that support the local department.
BMVFD has been serving the community for 74 years. Through the years probably the size of the department has changed, but what a tremendous success in keeping a volunteer organization going. The "Union Volunteer Fire Company" is recognized by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as the very first volunteer fire department in the nation and that was 275 years ago. BMVFD and many others across the nation are part of that growing history of creating an active community of first responders who balance their professional and personal life with the life of being a volunteer firefighter.
At the New Years Raffle guests get a chance to show their appreciation of the protection they receive from the volunteers and the volunteers in return show their appreciation of getting the support of their community.
The firemen hosted their annual event celebrating the New Year of 2012 with guests and their families all day. Kids kept drawing tickets until the last one was drawn and the crowd followed the wall as the department volunteers wrote the winning names. There were free chorizos and beverages for all to enjoy as the drawings continued. If a person hadn't seen it yet in any of the parades, they could view the newly acquired, in 2011, first response structure fire engine made custom for BMVFD.
Proceeds from the fundraiser are used for education, training, scholarships, equipment, 4th of July fireworks and firehouse maintenance. As in all fire and other emergency services, volunteers are the backbone, there is "no" service without them.
Everyone at the annual raffle as usual enjoyed the hospitality of the Battle Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. Here's to making 2012 a positive and successful year for all the fire and emergency services volunteers, their families and the residents of the community they serve.
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