The Union Fire Company at the Blackwood Terrace Firehouse – part of the township fire department – offered spaghetti dinners on Nov. 5 to benefit its own operation.
“The spaghetti dinner is a fundraiser for our fire company …” said company Vice President Thomas Gardner. “Our funds from the spaghetti dinner go back towards the fire company itself for our cadet program.
“We also … feed the firefighters,” he added. “We end up putting it back into the building, making sure we can maintain our property, and also for our biannual events for the members themselves, kind of like a morale booster like we do Christmas parties and things like that as well.”
The Union Fire Company publicized the event on its social media pages and members handed out tickets before the dinner.
“We have the tickets printed up and then we give them to all our members, and they sell them accordingly,” said volunteer firefighter Debbie Thelen. “(I hope) that people enjoy it and come back every year.”
Spaghetti dinners were $12 for adults and $6 for kids 10 and under. Tables and chairs were set up inside of the Blackwood Terrace Firehouse to give guests a look inside at vehicles, as well as company member equipment and gear.
Meals were prepped hours ahead by volunteers, either firefighters or those who simply wanted to help. About 300 people were expected during the five-hour event, according to Gardner. They could eat on site or take dinners with them.
The event has been going on for about a decade and was the idea of former Union Fire Company member Mike Amos and late company President Jack Bresch.
“He was definitely the big fundraiser guy and wanted that to happen,” said Thelen of Bresch.
“We’re looking to grow every year,” said Gardner.
