V. Hugh Lewis II/Jefferson Jimplecute
The Gray Volunteer Fire Department needs your help.
“I want to thank everyone who’s come here,” said Gray VFD Chief Walter Grant. “I want to get something going where we’re all working together. I want us to start a new fire department here in Gray and start getting the community involved.”
The department is down to three regular volunteers and need help with fundraising, a building fund, general upkeep and maintenance, and, of course, more folks to help fight fires. Those volunteers have each been with the department over 25 years.
Monday’s meeting at the station brought in other volunteer firefighters from Mims, Smithland, Jefferson, the Forestry Service, as well as the Jefferson Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s office.
“We’re trying to work together and what I’m trying to do is to work hand in hand and get to know each other and what we can do for each other,” said Grant.
The VFD receives $5,000 from Marion County each year, but Grant said it isn’t enough to support the department. Each department in the County relies on their own fundraising efforts to make up the difference.
“We’ve got $2,000 in the bank right now and that’s is not very much money to run the station on for the rest of the year,” said Grant.
He went on to indicate the insurance for the department is $6,000 year on the vehicles alone, let alone the buildings and general liability.
Equipment is also a big item for the station. They were given a pumper truck from the forestry service in recent years, but this year’s winter storm caused the pump to freeze.
“It busted, and it’s about $30,000 for that pump,” said Grant. “We can’t do it. That truck is parked now. I’m thankful that Terry Arnold went and bought, at auction, two trucks, and donated them to us. He spent his money for us.”
In years past, Gray has had an active community supporting it but, according to Grant, as the community has aged, that support has dwindled away.
Missi Viola, Mims VFD Assistant Chief, offered to sit down with Grant and help them learn the ins and outs of grant writing, and what’s been effective for them fundraiser wise.
“By the grace of God, we’ve had some really good fundraisers in the past,” said Viola. “We’ve got we’ve got community members that really stand behind us. When they say they do, they do. And they have given they’ve given way more than I have ever dreamed. We have one major fundraiser a year. And we bring out all the stops on it. It’s just like this year, every year we have a band we have a barbecue lines. We have the kids section, auctions silent live, bake sale.”
Grant expressed his appreciation for the support they’ve had over the years and hopes it will continue as he works to refocus the department and get additional community support.
If you’re interested in volunteering, or helping out the Gray Volunteer Fire Department, contact Walter Gray at 903-601-2004, or wdg@hotmail.com.