Crime & Safety
Blue Point FD Barbecue Mixes Community Fundraising with Fun
Fire Department holds annual event benefiting the B-BP community.
More than 300 residents flocked to the Saturday night for the department's 46th Annual Chicken Barbecue to benefit local organizations.
Volunteer firefighter and trustee, Steen Melby, said the money raised will be used to support local organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, softball teams and scholarships.
"It's a community tradition. We've been doing it for 46 years. It's a great event to get involved with the community in a beautiful park," said Blue Point Fire Chief Douglas Cibuls.
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Blue Point firefighter and warden, George Larson, has been chairing the event for the past 25 years. "It's just a fun thing," he said. "All the money goes back into the community to sponsor athletes of the year, male and female, and at Christmas time to give gifts to underprivileged children. So, whatever comes in here goes back out."
Blue Point Fire District Commissioner Bruce Bastiaanse was on hand helping with the cooking, and his father-in-law and former commissioner Dick Hambley was also there.
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Hambley was the fire chief during the first barbecue in 1965. He recalled how different it was back then compared to now.
"We didn't have facilities like we have today. We brought tables from inside, we might've built a few picnic tables. We didn't have property like we have now. We worked with what we had," said Hambley. "It was something that slowly, but surely, grew until it became the wonderful family event it is today."
Department members, their families, friends and other residents enjoyed great food, refreshments, live music, games of chance, a 50/50 raffle and rides and other activities for the kids.
Children had a blast on the Kiddie Walk and fire truck ride, courtesy of All County Amusements; several good sports took the plunge into the dunk tank, operated by the Junior Drill Team. Corydon Allegue, 23, a firefighter in the department, and his father Joe, provided live music for the occasion.
Madeleine Dale said the best part of coming to the event was getting to run into friends while supporting the fire department.
"They're just wonderful. They're good to the neighborhood," said Dale.
