Trending
CLAYSBURG -- The Claysburg Volunteer Fire Company is continuing its fundraising efforts to purchase a new fire truck more than three months after its pumper truck broke down.
The fire department, which needs $360,000 for the replacement truck, has raised about $260,000 from 125 donations, according to Rich Allison, head of the department's Fire Truck Fund Committee.
Initially, the plan was to borrow $200,000 from the state, which would have created a 25-year loan, but the enthusiastic response from the community resulted in the department not needing that much money after all.
"We got better fundraising than we thought," Allison said.
The department will now only need to borrow about $100,000, he said.
Since early January, the fire company has been using a borrowed truck. It will take eight to nine months to get the new vehicle, Allison said.
It's been all hands on deck in the community during the fundraising effort, as businesses and residents have banded together in support of the fire company.
The Upper Claar Church of the Brethren held a turkey dinner drive thru in February, raising $5,000.
Multiple businesses that did not wish to be named, donated amounts in the five-figures range, as much as $20,000, Allison said.
Isaiah Snyder, a 10-year-old, even collected cans in order to raise $50 himself.
"That melted our hearts that a 10-year-old kid did something like that," Allison said.
The Claysburg community surpassed expectations throughout the fundraising efforts, Allison said. It's in the town's nature, though, to go above and beyond, he said.
"We were all in awe when we saw how these people had come through," he said. "That's a typical Claysburg thing. When there's a need in Claysburg, the people and the businesses and organizations come through for this town."