TURKEY TRADITION
Ballston Spa Fire Company No. 2 marks 25th year serving free Thanksgiving meals to community
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. >> Community minded volunteers joined with members of Ballston Spa Fire Company No. 2 Thursday to prepare, serve and deliver 500 free meals as part of the community’s annual Ballston Spa Thanksgiving Meal.
This was the 25th year the Ballston Spa community dinner was served.
The meal of turkey, dressing, mashed and sweet potatoes and vegetables topped off with a slice of pie is a Thanksgiving tradition in the city. The fire company has made it a point that it continue.
By noon on Thursday the kitchen in the company’s fire station at 319 Milton Avenue was alive with activity as volunteers cut and sliced 28 turkeys, ladled up gallons of dressing, scooped 250 pounds of white potatoes, 120 pounds of sweet potatoes, and multiple trays of corn, green beans, and carrots.
The fire company expected to prepare around 500 meals. They were available for delivery, pick-up, or in-house dining.
Ten tables seating eight people each with yellow table cloths, individual flower arrangements and hand colored placemats were set up in the center of the larger of the fire station’s two vehicle bays for the in-house diners.
Surrounding a table near the kitchen a row of volunteers placed meals into Styrofoam cartons and gently placed them into delivery bags donated by the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps.
The station’s rear door saw additional volunteers quickly enter and then exit with bags of meals for delivery. Slowly in-house diners arrived and were directed to one of the tables where their orders were placed.
“The meal started years ago when the gentleman who ran the IGA, Vince, used to go around Thanksgiving Day on his own and deliver free meals that he had cooked,” event organizer Dick Duffy said . “The Elks had it for a while and then the fire company took it over.
“I’ve been involved with it for about 22 years. My wife Donna and I sort of head this thing up now.”
Duffy figured about 100 volunteers help in some way, either with buying the products, cooking, delivering or serving.
“The funds for this meal come from the VFW, American Legion, St. Mary’s Church, Ballston Spa Methodist Church, both fire companies, ours and Eagle Matt Lee Fire Company No. 1, individual donations, and a
number of local businesses,” he said.
Gregg Diven came to the station to pick up a meal for himself and his girlfriend.
“I’ve been coming here for about three or four years,” he said. “I lost my mother a couple years ago and it hasn’t been the same. It’s nice that they do this.”
Seated at one of the room’s tables were Gary and Jacqui Goodmanson and Bob and Shirley Campbell. This was the first time the Good mansons had come for the dinner and the third for the Campbells.
“The meal was excellent,” said Bob Campbell.
“This is very nice,” Jacqui Goodmanson said. “You’re with the community. It’s a nice home cooked meal. It’s great.”
Helping to serve the inhouse meals was Tonya Rook, a paramedic with the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps. Rook was on duty and had her receiver on her hip and the organization’s vehicle parked outside.
“I love helping people and this is another way I can give back to the public,” she said while holding two plates of food.
Also volunteering this day were Teal and Miguel Hoyos of Saratoga Springs. They volunteered to deliver meals around the community.
“Last year I volunteered at the Rescue Mission in Albany on Thanksgiving Day,” Teal Hoyos said. “I spooned up the mashed potatoes. This year we were looking for a way to give back to the community that was a little closer to home and I saw this.
“We’re here because we both wanted to do something for the community.”
One volunteer with the longest tenure of service for the event was Bob Baker of Greenfield Center. Baker is not a firefighter and has no connection to Union Fire Company No. 2 other than the fact that he knows Duffy and a few other members.
“Volunteering to help volunteers like these folks is great,” he said. “These men and women rush into fires when other people are running out. I started helping at one event and that led to another and that led to this.
“But really, volunteering here, with these folks gives you a warm feeling inside that can’t be beat.”