Happy Valley Pride: July 15, 2009

Do you have your ticket to the Happy Valley Firemen's Ball?

This Saturday, July 18, the Happy Valley Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual barbeque and dance to raise money. The event will be held at the Palm Street Fire Station.

If you have never attended, you are missing out on a lot of fun for the whole family.

There will be games for the children, horseshoe pitching, music, an auction, delicious food and, best of all, an opportunity to see many of the area's old-timers and share stories about the good old days.

Tickets for the event are available at the Country Market on the corner of Olinda Road and Happy Valley Road.

Our fire department is made up of volunteers and I, for one, can say they do a wonderful job.

Thinking about the barbecue and dance reminded me of how many times I have had to call on them for assistance.

The first time was when our electric fence sparked a fire in our pasture one January. The firefighters who responded told me it was the first fire of the season.

Another time, the children had built a fort out back in the trees and, for some reason, they lit a candle and it fell onto a mattress, which was in turn thrown out onto the dry grass.

The fire department arrived within minutes and put out the fire before it had a chance to light up the woods. Later, I drove a truck out into the tall grass and my hot exhaust system started a fire. Then, of course, was the fire in our house, which could have been a lot worse except that the firefighters arrived quickly.

Then there were the times they came to medically assist my mother, my son or me. I can't think of a better way to say thank you to them than to attend their annual barbecue and be supportive of their fundraiser.

Are you enjoying the splendid weather?

I am.

I'm getting a lot of farming done. In fact, as I sit here writing this article, I hear the farm calling. just like the deadly sirens did in Homer's book, The Odyssey. The sirens' call caused ships to wreck on the rocks nearby. Meanwhile, the lure of the farm calls siren-like to me.

Volunteer, recycle, pray for our country. I hope to see you at the barbeque. Be good and love one another as God loves each of us.