My volunteer fire department built a new firehouse five years ago, complete with several garage bays, office space, and a large gathering room.
The original building was ancient and could no longer house the newer fire trucks and gear, not to mention room for people. We contracted with a builder who had a good reputation in the community and, although we made conservative choices, we ended up with a fabulous building. The garage areas had plenty of room for the vehicles, and the meeting rooms were nicely heated, ventilated and cooled. One way that we budgeted to pay for the building was to hold an annual fundraiser in January – called the Polar Bear 5K Run. The event has been so successful that we plan on continuing it indefinitely. The community rallies around the cause and any age can participate by running or walking. With each runner paying twenty dollars, we raise thousands of dollars each year, with 100% going towards the mortgage. Obviously, the name for the event is due to the fact that in our northern region, only polar bears should be outside. But after two hours, all participants and their families gather inside for chili, hot dogs and hot cocoa. Before the new building was completed, we froze inside and could barely get warmed by the faulty old heat system. But now that we have this great new facility, the rooms are nice and warm. The heated air blows freely and evenly throughout the non-garage areas of the building, and once everyone consumes the hot food and beverages, it’s a real polar bear extravaganza.