Date: Fri 08-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

fire-company-Dodgingtown

Full Text:

Fire Company Campaign Gets A Jump Start

The Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company launched its annual fund-raising drive

this week with an appeal to 1,400 households for funds to assist in

accomplishing its firefighting goals in the next year.

To kick off the campaign, George Hoti, owner of George's Pizza & Restaurant on

Route 302, presented Dodgingtown Chief Mark White with a check for $500 to

show his appreciation for the work the volunteer firefighters did in battling

the fire caused by a gasoline tanker truck accident in front of his restaurant

on October 7. The restaurant re-opened for business on Tuesday.

"This donation to the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company is for its quick

response and the excellent job the firefighters did in putting out the fire,"

Mr Hoti said. "We are fortunate that we have such a great bunch of volunteers

who are willing to risk their lives without pay to help others."

The annual fund drive pays for maintenance of the firehouse, vehicles,

equipment and other expenses. The firehouse, which is owned and operated by

the volunteer company, was built in 1952. Work currently is under way to rip

up the deteriorating paving, do new drainage, replace the concrete aprons in

front of the bays and pave the adjacent back parking lot. Thomas M. Adams &

Sons of Newtown, an excavating company, is doing the work.

New energy-efficient windows also are being installed.

When he saw Mr Hoti present a donation to Chief White outside the firehouse,

Mr Adams promptly pledged $150 for the campaign.

"Many people don't realize that the fire companies in Newtown are all

volunteer," Chief White said. "Often newcomers to the community are used to

living in towns which have paid fire departments and they assume that their

property tax bill pays for this service here. That isn't the case.

"A volunteer fire department is a big tax savings for residents," he said,

"but we can't operate without asking each homeowner to make a contribution

each year."