The Mesachie Lake Volunteer Fire Department needs your help.
The department purchased their rescue truck approximately five years ago, and over time they have been working to stock the vehicle with all the necessary equipment.
The rescue truck is the only one that services the Circle Route between Mesachie Lake and Port Renfrew.
Now the department has reached the point where they need to purchase a thermal imager and a few other items, as well as generate enough funds to ensure that the vehicle can actually be up and running in the case of an emergency.
“The only way we get funded to do the first responder program, on that Circle Route, is by our fundraising.” said the department’s lieutenant, Casey Van Dalen. “Truck number one gets funded through the CVRD . . . but not this truck. So if there’s no money coming in, this truck is standing here. And if there’s diesel in the truck it’s because some of the members have thrown a bit of fuel in it.”
The department’s goal is to raise $5,000 by Dec. 15 of this year.
To do so, they are holding a raffle for a painting by local artist Herb Wittrin.
The painting depicts the old 1950s Mesachie Lake fire truck, one that was built by Hillcrest Mill, and used to serve as an industrial dump truck for the mill.
“We had a potluck dinner here one day, and he was here for the dinner, and it was a bit of a fundraiser, and he volunteered to provide us with a painting,” explained Van Dalen.
The painting is valued at $500.
So the department decided to do a raffle. Tickets can be purchased at the Coffee Mill in Honeymoon Bay, as well as at different locations around Lake Cowichan and Duncan.
However, members are also going to be going around to different locations throughout the fall to sell tickets and hot dogs and generate awareness of the department and the work they do on the Circle Route.
This summer, they held a ticket and hot dog sale on the Circle Route and were able to generate about $200 in four hours.
“I was really pleased, that was really nice,” said Van Dalen. “The public is pretty supportive. I think people realize that this is actually the only vehicle on that Renfrew Road. This is the one that gets called out.”
Tickets are one for $5, and three for $10.
—editor@lakecowichangazette.com
needs your help.
The department purchased their rescue truck approximately five years ago, and over time they have been working to stock the vehicle with all the necessary equipment.
The rescue truck is the only one that services the Circle Route between Mesachie Lake and Port Renfrew.
Now the department has reached the point where they need to purchase a thermal imager and a few other items, as well as generate enough funds to ensure that the vehicle can actually be up and running in the case of an emergency.
“The only way we get funded to do the first responder program, on that Circle Route, is by our fundraising.” said the department’s lieutenant, Casey Van Dalen. “Truck number one gets funded through the CVRD . . . but not this truck. So if there’s no money coming in, this truck is standing here. And if there’s diesel in the truck it’s because some of the members have thrown a bit of fuel in it.”
The department’s goal is to raise $5,000 by Dec. 15 of this year.
To do so, they are holding a raffle for a painting by local artist Herb Wittrin.
The painting depicts the old 1950s Mesachie Lake fire truck, one that was built by Hillcrest Mill, and used to serve as an industrial dump truck for the mill.
“We had a potluck dinner here one day, and he was here for the dinner, and it was a bit of a fundraiser, and he volunteered to provide us with a painting,” explained Van Dalen.
The painting is valued at $500.
So the department decided to do a raffle. Tickets can be purchased at the Coffee Mill in Honeymoon Bay, as well as at different locations around Lake Cowichan and Duncan.
However, members are also going to be going around to different locations throughout the fall to sell tickets and hot dogs and generate awareness of the department and the work they do on the Circle Route.
This summer, they held a ticket and hot dog sale on the Circle Route and were able to generate about $200 in four hours.
“I was really pleased, that was really nice,” said Van Dalen. “The public is pretty supportive. I think people realize that this is actually the only vehicle on that Renfrew Road. This is the one that gets called out.”
Tickets are one for $5, and three for $10.
—editor@lakecowichangazette.com