HomeMy WebLinkAbouthistory efvc 2_0007I SUPPOSE I SHOULD INTRODUCE MYSELF TO THOSE OF YOU WHO DO
NOT KNOW ME. MY NAME IS LARRY SAULSGIVER,A TWENTY FIVE YEAR
MEMBER OF THE FIRE COMPANY AND 1 AM CERTIFIED CRAZY! I KNOW I AM
CERTIFIED CRAZY BECAUSE LAST YEAR AT OUR ANNUAL BANQUET I WAS
AWARDED A CERTIFICATE FOR 25 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND ANYBODY THAT
DOES THAT HAS GOT TO BE CRAZY! YOU BECOME A LIFER AFTER 20 YEARS
SERVICE AND YOU GET RE -CERTIFIED CRAZY EVERY FIVE YEARS THEREAFTER
BUT LET US LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED HERE 50 YEARS AGO -THE TOWN
OF ENFIELD WAS BEGINNING TO GROW -ORGANIZED FIRE PROTECTION WAS
ALMOST NONEXISTENT. ITHACA HAD A DEPARTMENT (CELEBRATING 175
YEARS THIS YEAR). THE TOWN OF MECKLENBURG HAD FORMED A VOLUNTEER
DEPARTMENT JUST A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE AND IT WAS MECKLENBURG THAT
SERVICED MUCH OF THE TOWN OF ENFIELD AT THAT TIME. SO A NUMBER OF
THE MEN OF THE TOWN GOT TOGETHER REALIZING THAT SOMETHING HAD TO
BE DONE TO MAKE FIRE PROTECTION MORE READILY AVAILABLE. SOME COULD
DONATE MONEY,SOME COULD DONATE TIME AND LABOR,AND ONE A MAN
NAMED HARRY WILLIS SAID HE COULD DONATE A PARCEL OF LAND FROM HIS
FARM PROPERTY ON THE MAIN ROAD! SO HE DID/AND THEY DID? AND THE
ENFIELD VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY WAS BORN!
IN A FEW MOMENTS PRESIDENT BARRIERE WILL DEDICATE A MEMORIAL
GARDEN IN HARRY WILLIS'S HONOR -IT IS A MEMORIAL NOT JUST FOR
HARRY,BUT FOR ALL THE DECEASED THAT AT ONE TIME SERVED THIS
COMMUNITY WITH THEIR MEMBERSHIP IN THE FIRE COMPANY -NO MATTER IF
THEY SERVED 2 YEARS OR 20 THEY LEFT A MARK ON WHAT THE FIRE
COMPANY HAS BECOME TODAY -AND NONE MORE SO THAT THE FOUR I
INTRODUCED TO YOU A MOMENT AGO,AND FROM CONVERSATIONS 1 HAVE
HAD WITH THESE MEN I ASSURE YOU THAT 50 YEARS AGO THEY COULD NOT
HAVE ENVISIONED WHAT THIS FIRE COMPANY HAS BECOME! IF THEY HAD
THEY WOULD HAVE PUT IN DOORS BIG ENOUGH FOR 622 -OUR NEW 3,000
GALLON SEMI/TANKER, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO MOVE TO OUR
PRESENT FACILITY! THEY WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HAD BUILT A POND
THAT FED A VALVE AND HYDRANT INSIDE THE STATION SO THEY COULD FILL A
TANKER INSIDE IN THE WINTER -1 KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COLD
WINTER NIGHTS I WISHED THEY HAD THOUGHT OF IT!