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They don't shoot hams. Or turkeys.
But the title of Quarryville Fire Company's semi-annual fundraiser does confuse some people. "We call the fall one a turkey shoot and the spring one a ham shoot because we give away turkeys and hams. We don't actually shoot turkeys and hams," fire company president Jim Herr said. An accidental fire heavily damaged a house in Quarryville and killed the family dog.
The fire broke out sometime before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, at 127 Wheatfield Ct. in the Meadowview development. "We had numerous calls from neighbors and, when we responded from the station, we could see heavy smoke," said Quarryville Fire Company Deputy Chief Jamie Welk. That led firefighters to call for additional volunteers and equipment from neighboring companies. Real estate experts say three factors govern a property's value - location, location, location.
It's also important for firefighters, as is timing. They came together on Tuesday night, January 21, when a piece of construction equipment set itself on fire inside a building in Quarryville. An accidental fire heavily damaged a cabin at Yogi Bear Campground, Blackburn Rd., East Drumore Township, on Saturday night, December 7.
The fire was reported shortly after 7 p.m. Hundreds of children turned out Saturday evening, October 19, for the annual Quarryville Halloween Parade. Quarryville's newest piece of fire apparatus is quieter, safer, and easier to operate than the engine it replaces.
"It has an automatic transmission, rollover prevention, and even has air bags," Fire Chief Joel Neff said last week. Quarryville firefighters held a boot drive at the intersection of State St. and 4th St. on Friday and collected $7,857 from generous motorists.
Quarryville firefighters held their annual chicken and rib barbecue at TownsEdge Shopping Village last Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, the firefighters sold about half of the 2,600 meals that were prepared. A former resident of 10 Laura Ct., East Drumore Township, has been charged with burning the mobile home down, state police said.
Edwin Michael Schabach-Rivera, 33, of 7 Laura Ct. was arrested at the scene of the fire and charged with four felony counts and several misdemeanors. The charges ranged from arson and resisting arrest to vandalism. Trooper Timothy Pray, a state police fire marshal, charged Schabach-Rivera. Family and personal relationships bring most volunteers into local fire companies.
Keeping them there and turning them into active firefighters and rescue personnel takes time and dedication. About half of them stay through the years-long process. Southern End fire companies are working together to make the lengthy training process easier for new recruits. Fire company special division to host vendor and craft show at Solanco Fairgrounds April 274/22/2019
Last year, Quarryville Fire Company's special division expanded their spring vendor and craft shows to two buildings at the Solanco Fairgrounds.
This year, the volunteers will also be using two buildings but replaced the Hoffman Building with one of the fair association's larger structures. "We're going to be using the Kreider Building and Building #7," volunteer Meghan Cross said. "We have outgrown the Hoffman Building." Members of Quarryville Fire Company's special division will be holding their first Easter flower sale on Friday, April 19, and Saturday, April 20.
 "We’re not out there to make people mad. We're not out there to just order people around. We're not trying to disrupt people's lives for no reason."
That's how Quarryville Fire Police Officer Ronald Swayne describes his volunteer duties directing traffic around emergency scenes.  by Bud Hart
When Phil and Kristen Rutt left Quarryville to become the new owners of the Buffalo, Wyoming, Triple Three Outfitters, six volunteer firemen began plans to visit the Rutts to harvest a Wyoming wild turkey, introduced into the state in 1935. “We started discussing the possibility of this trip more than a year and a half ago,” said Scott Kreider.  Santa will be making another early stop in the Southern End.
He will be at the Quarryville Fire Company station, 217 E. State St., on Friday evening, December 15, to spend time with children and their parents. Volunteer firefighters will provide crafts and cookies and give parents time to take pictures with Santa. This year, there will be ribs as well as chicken at the annual Quarryville Fire Company benefit barbecue.
The barbecue, sponsored by Ferguson & Hassler Supermarket and held in the store's parking lot, will offer the traditional half chicken meal on Thursday, July 13.  Last year, their show drew 27 vendors.
This year, members of Quarryville Fire Company's Special Division added crafters to their spring show. The new engine bays being built on the south end of Quarryville's fire station should be ready for use by May.
"It could be as early as April if the weather holds," said Ron Swayne, chairman of the fire company's building committee. "We're three-quarters of the way done, due in large part to the weather," he said last week. The work got off to a late start. The volunteers expected to begin construction early last summer, but delays in finalizing a mortgage with BB&T Bank put the work on hold until October 31, 2016. That meant the start date actually came two weeks after the original completion date. Last year, volunteers didn't know what to expect when they decided to revive an old tradition. "We had done it years ago and we got to talking about it. That's when we decided we would start it up again," said Lori Swayne.
 Quarryville Fire Company's volunteers expected to move apparatus into the addition to their fire station by the middle of October.
The volunteers had the site excavated early this past summer. But construction didn't start until October 31, two weeks after the original completion date.  Vendors and crafters will be using all of the expanded Hoffman Building when they set up for the annual Quarryville Fire Company Special Division's Christmas bazaar on November 19.
"We will have over 30 this year. Because the building was expanded, we will have more space this year," said special division president Lori Singles.  Aiden Weaver's five and too young to join the fire company.
But this past summer he braved the heat to raise enough money to feed Quarryville's volunteer firefighters and the borough's police officers. Aiden, came up with the plan on his own.  Ultimately, the goal is to bring in enough money to operate the fire company and pay off the building project.
The annual boot drive can't do that alone, but it can help, said Quarryville Fire Company President Sherry Wertz. The drive is a joint effort of fire company volunteers and 11 area restaurants. An empty fire boot is in each establishment with a sign asking patrons to make a donation.  Members of Quarryville Fire Company's auxiliary will be holding their second annual vendor sale later this month.
The inaugural event drew 17 vendors. By last week, 26 vendors had signed up for the 2016 sale. "We have more variety this year," said auxiliary member Danielle Worrell. "They will be offering makeup, jewelry, household items such as Tupperware, and a lot of healthy, alternative items." Firefighters are used to the heat.
But they won't be wearing protective turnout gear when they face grills full of burning charcoal later this month. Nor will they be trying to put out the fires, which can bring them thousands of dollars in needed money. The volunteers will spend two days tending portable barbecue pits, helping cook more than 2,000 chicken halves on Thursday, July 14, and Friday, July 15. |
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