- Annual pancake feed at Valley Fire and Rescue
- The event helps the volunteer crew raise money for equipment and a new station
- Fire Chief Terry Luthy II said many of the members grew up in the community
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At Valley Fire and Rescue’s annual pancake feed it's an opportunity to raise funds and engage with the community.
Pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy.
"We came out to see all the rescue vehicles, and especially the helicopter,” said Megan McLeay, an Omaha resident, who was just one of hundreds to stop by for some Sunday breakfast.
"We have so much respect for what they do, and we are just so grateful to have them in our community so it's great to come out and support," McLeay said.
Valley fire and rescue is 100% a volunteer crew.
"As they come through, they usually remind us like this is their time to come see us," said Valley Fire Chief Terry Luthy II.
It’s an opportunity to eat in the fire station, see the trucks up close and a bonus visit of the helicopter landing right behind the building.
Plus, it's a fundraising effort for equipment and their new station.
"Right now, we have a capital campaign going on for our new building, we are building a new fire station, a much need, so we have room to operate right now our crews got to cut around trucks, we don't have storage room for everything," Luthy II said.
He said as they are always looking for volunteers, it's a full circle moment.
"Most of our membership has been kids in our community and now here they are serving on our department, so it's kind of the circle of life thing, they come in and eat pancakes and someday they will be driving the trucks and going on calls, helping the community back," Luthy II said.
With about 40 members from around the area, “it opens the door for them to come in and get some experience and if they want to pursue it as a full-time career down the road, they get those classes, they get that experience to move on to the next level,” Luthy II said.
Construction on a new station is underway, with the goal of having next year’s pancake feed at that new station.
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