SHUBENACADIE: Sixty years of serving their community was celebrated last Saturday.
Members of the Shubenacadie and District Fire & Emergency Services, along with mutual aid partners and community dignitaries, gathers inside the Shubenacadie Legion to celebrate the East Hants departments 60th anniversary.
As supper was served, the emcee delivered a bit of the history of the department, how it started, to present day.
There was also short speeches given by Municipality of East Hants Councillor for Shubenacadie Carl MacPhee; Warden Eleanor Roulston; Kings-Hants MP Kody Blois; and Hants East MLA John A. MacDonald.
Fire chief Kevin Jodrey also spoke at length about the department, and the amount of calls in 2021 and volunteer hours spent by members at those calls, plus training and extra meetings.
MacDonald—and a couple other speakers—made sure to recognize the spouses of the volunteer members, who know when the pager tones (or in most cases nowadays the cell vibrates from I Am Responding) their loved one is off to help someone in their community or a neighbouring community on their worst day.
MacPhee presented Jodrey with a certificate from the municipality recognizing the 60th anniversary for the department.
Blois and MacDonald also made similar presentations to Jodrey.
A hearty meal was served up by the caterers from Van & Co.
After the meal, there were two special service awards presented to two firefighters.
Dwayne Spencer was presented with a pin and certificates from MLA MacDonald and MP Blois for 30 years of firefighting service, while Sam Webber received his pin for 10 years service.
By the sounds of the laughter and conversations taking place, everyone had fun.
At the end of the event, before everyone headed home, the past and present firefighters gathered by two balloons that were shaped in 60 for a group photo.
