Ladies Night, North Washington VFD both winners
At the Ladies Night fundraiser hosted by North Washington Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday, women had their eyes on the prizes. The department had its eyes on a new tanker truck.
The night was one of many fundraising events planned to purchase a new truck for the fire service that is expected to cost about $750,000.
Event organizer Courtney Baird said the current truck is in poor condition, and money generated at Ladies Night will contribute to the purchase of a replacement.
“Everything will go toward a new tanker truck. (Ours has) met its limit on repairs. It can’t be welded anymore. It will not pass inspection,” she said. “We’re pushing to do as many events this year as we can.”
While fire Chief Bruce Confer and volunteers busily prepared food in the kitchen, the hall bustled with women eating, chatting and sizing up the raffle baskets and prizes on display. Every few minutes, a wheel covered in ticket numbers was spun and the lucky winner could choose from prizes varying from Fitbits to kitchen mixers.
Attendee Karen Altman said she was pleased to support the fire department.
“It’s a local company — if you need anything, they help you,” she said.
Sisters Katrina Dillaman and Alicia Rowley enjoyed the event because of the chance it gave them to be with family and friends.
“To be able to come out and do something after years of COVID is great,” Rowley said.
Greg Hughes, department treasurer, said the event generated nearly $9,000 in ticket sales alone. They hoped to add to the amount set aside for a down payment on the new tanker truck.
“A monthly payment could be $22,000 or more a month,” he said.
“We run virtually debt free, something we’re proud of, especially with COVID,” Baird said of the department.
Anna Plesakov, director of the department board and a paramedic since 1985, said many volunteers at the event weren’t connected to the fire service.
“There are community people helping who aren’t members. We couldn’t do it without them. If we didn’t have good family and friends, we couldn’t do this,” she said.
