Central Volunteer Fire to celebrate 75 years with free food, soft drinks at open house

Central Volunteer Fire Department in Lackawaxen Township, Pike County, has an open house Saturday, July 6, to mark its 75th anniversary.

The event is free to all who attend, department officials state. This includes free food and soft drinks, historical displays and what the announcement describes as "family friendly fun." The event is from noon to 4 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, June 7.

The fire station address is 574 Westcolang Road, Hawley. The fire station and hall are in Bohemia, off Route 590, between the former Cuckoo's Nest restaurant and the Fawn Lake community.

Rick McCarthy, department secretary and a member of the 75th Anniversary Committee, said that their first piece of firefighting equipment was a 1949 Willys Firefighting Jeep with a 50-gallon tender for water. "The jeep is currently undergoing restoration, and we expect to display it at the event," he said.

There will be a display of pictures of fire department members from their charter days leading up to the present and other pictures related to their history will be shown. Historic documents will also be on display.

The open house also includes Smokey Bear, the Pike County Sheriff's Department with public safety information, a cornhole game, dunk tank and a fire house-themed inflatable bouncy house for the children. A demonstration using various extraction tools will be made using a donated car for cutting up. Various fire apparatus and equipment will be displayed.

Raffle tickets will be available for purchase, and donations are welcome, although not necessary, McCarthy said. A thank-you list of event sponsors will be distributed.

Central Volunteer Fire Department, Company 75, was incorporated in 1949 following a fire that destroyed the former Cuckoo's Nest building. Residents of Bohemia, Westcolang and Rowlands banded together to make it a reality. Officers were Butch Hooper, president; Clarence James, secretary/treasurer; and 1st Chief Henry Reafler. The original firehouse was built the next year on donated land. The present, larger fire station and social house were erected on land donated in 1976.

Historical information was taken from the Lackawaxen Township Bicentennial Book, published in 1998.

Co. 75 covers approximately 30 square miles and works closely with neighboring fire departments. For more information call 570-685-7344, email centralfire27@gmail.com or visit cvfd27.com and their Facebook page .

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Central Volunteer Fire to celebrate 75 years with free food, soft drinks at open house