IMLAY - The Imlay Volunteer Fire Department Street Dance is an event looked forward to by locals and others. Its main function is to raise money for the IVFD, but it also serves as a time to visit with friends and neighbors.
The attendance was estimated at over 200 people throughout the day by Imlay Fire Chief Jerry Monroe.
"People came out earlier in the day and stayed longer, probably because it wasn't as hot as it had been," Monroe said.
He said the department made around $800 that they plan to put back into the street dance to buy equipment to make set-up and the running of the day long event easier.
About six years ago the Imlay Auxiliary partnered with the IVFD to provide the food for the event. As the years have gone on they have added smaller activities throughout the day, such as bingo, bake sale and an auction, to the fire department's horseshoe tournament and raffle.
"We just try to add a little something more to give people some choices of activities," Imlay Auxiliary President Terry Sherbinow said.
Sherbinow estimated the auxiliary made a little over $500 from their food sales and other activities and that a portion of that money would be donated back to the fire department.
Monroe was not sure how long the IVFD had been putting on the street dance.
"I don't really know how long it's been going on or how it came about, but it's a tradition now. All year long people tell me how much fun they had at the last year's street dance and ask when next year's will be," Monroe said.
The department has already set the date for next year, July 12, 2014. They have also booked the same band that everyone enjoyed this year.
This was the second year the band Hired Gunnz has played at the IVFD Street Dance.
"They are a great band. They interact with the audience and play great music. I've gotten a lot of comments from people here and they all want Hired Gunnz to come back so we brought them back and they'll be here again next year," Monroe said.
Hired Gunnz played a wide array of music from Lynard Skynard to Motley Crue, with a few 1960s tunes thrown into the mix.
"We love coming out to Imlay. The crowd here is so upbeat and they feed off us and we feed off them," Hired Gunnz lead vocalist Rod Burt said.
The horseshoe tournament is another popular draw at the street dance. Eight teams signed up for the tournament. The winning team was Clarence Sherbinow and Tom Bradley. The team won $40, half of the proceeds. Sherbinow donated his half back to the department.
"It was just fun to play. I haven't thrown horseshoes for a long time," Sherbinow said.
Every year the department raffles off a quarter side of beef at the street dance, along with many other raffle prizes. This year the beef was won by former Imlay resident Sherry Kinkade, who came to Imlay just for the street dance. At the end of the evening Kinkade was still contemplating how she was going to get the beef back to her California home.
"It was so nice to see all my old friends. That's why I came out. I never thought I would win the beef. I don't know how I'm going to get it home," she said.
The day after the street dance Monroe said he was still getting compliments on how much fun people had at the event.
[[In-content Ad]]
