Calera Fire-Rescue served bowls of chili last Saturday at the fire station to raise funds for scholarships and to purchase different things.
Calera Fire Chief Brian Norton said it was the 51st annual chili dinner.
”Currently now, it benefits our scholarship fund and then we have a fund that we can buy AEDs and different things,” Norton said. “We’ve bought some stuff for some of the local businesses and things like that. Mainly the school and so on.”
According to Norton, the dinner was at one time a major fundraiser before the county had a sales tax to benefi t fire departments.
“This was the main money fund to support the trucks, to actually keep gas in the trucks and fight fires and maintenance and everything,” Norton said. “Over time, as the tax base and everything grew, we were able to support ourselves from the city and the county and now, it’s just become a tradition to keep the scholarship fund going.”
The department picks two Calera High School seniors each year to present scholarship funds.
“Once they enroll in college, then we write them a check to help them with their tuition, help them with their books or whatever they need to do, but they have to show us that they’ve enrolled in college or a trade school or anything of that nature,” Norton said.
Norton appreciates the community support.
“Every year, it’s a little warm today, but typically, the cooler it is, the more people come out,” Norton said. “We always have several thousand dollars raised to go into the account every year.”
Despite the ice storm, Norton said the department has been busy battling grass fires.
“[Last Friday] was really bad around the county,” Norton said. “We fought, I think there was seven or eight grass fires going on around the county, so everybody just needs to be careful if still burning. We’re still kind of in a minor drought.”
Calera Fire-Rescue had its 51st annual chili dinner Saturday at the fire station on McKinley Avenue. Serving chili is CFR Lt. Jake Trujillo.
