The Newtown Square Fire Company (NSFC) is thrilled to introduce a new opportunity for our friends and neighbors to gather to raise funds for its dedicated team of first responders and support staff. Let’s come together as a community on Saturday, May 18th for the inaugural Grill and Chill Bingo night at the Fire House on Ellis Preserve.
This event promises an evening of fun and camaraderie, offering attendees the chance to win valuable prizes, with 100% of the net proceeds directly benefiting the Newtown Square Fire Company, a 501(c)3 organization. Heather Robinson serves as 1st Vice President of the fire company and is this year’s Grill and Chill Bingo Chair. “In anticipation of the upcoming spring and summer seasons, our prize selection will feature premium outdoor equipment, including renowned brand-name coolers, grills, and smokers for backyard leisure,” Heather said. “All of our prizes are generously donated by our local businesses and professional sports franchises.”
In addition to donating prizes and merchandise, local businesses have stepped up to sponsor the event. Louis Rosenthal is a volunteer with the fire company who has been helping to make Grill and Chill Bingo a success. “I’ve been helping the committee with ticketing, finance and working to enlist some of the generous businesses and individuals here in Newtown Square and neighboring townships to become sponsors,” he explained. “It will be a great, fun evening with all proceeds supporting our volunteer Newtown Square Fire Company.” Louis also added that financial support for the event is tax deductible and attendees will have an opportunity to win some pretty cool prizes.
The event will kick off at 6pm, with doors opening at 5pm. Attendees should bring their own food and drinks for the evening. There will be eight rounds of bingo, called by some familiar faces and a few special guests, with a prize awarded to the winner of each round. “We will also have two bonus rounds,” Heather said. “The winners of the bonus rounds will win package prizes that will feature multiple items bundled together for unique outdoor experiences.” Tickets are on sale now by visiting the Newtown Square Fire Company page on Facebook or going to NSFC.org. Individual tickets are $40, or you can purchase a table of eight for $320.
The NSFC has a long history of fundraising events and efforts designed to bring our community together. Their most recent Pints in the Square Craft Brew Fest/5K has run for the past six years and quickly became the talk of the town. In its first year alone, the festival drew over 500 attendees and raised an impressive $25,000 in donations. Its popularity grew year after year, and the committee hopes to announce its return sometime in the future.
Other popular events run by the NSFC Auxiliary include hosting two annual Flea Markets, a Mother’s Day weekend Plant Sale, and a Holiday Wreath Fundraising Event in November. The Auxiliary also provides meals for firefighters after emergency calls, at their monthly meetings and on the nights Santa Claus tours with the fire company.
Long-time Newtown Square residents may recall an annual fundraising event called the Turkey Fair. It was a community raffle event that began in the 1930s, where winners would take home free turkeys from local supermarkets. This event was a big success that continued well into the 1990s, taking a few years off during World War II. After the war, the Turkey Fair returned with the addition of a Country Fair and Fall Bazaar which became major fundraisers.
When the new firehouse on Route 252 was built in the 1960s, it housed a spacious hall on the second floor complete with an industrial kitchen. It soon became the spot to host many events in the old firehouse after they added the addition for the kitchen. The hall would help raise funds for the fire company during their Pancake Days, Breakfast with Santa, Turkey Raffles and community dances.
As a volunteer organization, the NSFC diligently ensures the operational readiness of services around the clock and relies on the generosity of our community to provide essential training for our emergency-response personnel and to maintain the upkeep of our specialized fire trucks and life-saving equipment.
When residents of Newtown Township call for emergency help, they expect a timely response from a highly-trained team of people dedicated to protecting our community. Newtown Square is very fortunate to have just that. But many residents may not know that many of these Firefighters and Ambulance EMTs are not paid for their brave and selfless acts. In fact, the Newtown Square Fire Company is almost entirely operated by volunteers.
The amount of work, funding and time it takes to run a volunteer fire company is astounding and only made possible by those heroes who dedicate their time, talent and resources. In addition to the Firefighters and Fire Police you see on an emergency scene, a team of dedicated volunteers works tirelessly to raise funds necessary to operate an organization that serves and protects our community and responds to over 750 calls yearly. From ensuring our firefighters have the best training, gear and equipment to providing home-cooked meals and a clean, comfortable place to rest while on call, these company volunteers and elected officers are also worthy of our appreciation.
Thank you to our elected officers and all the volunteers who help keep our homes, businesses and community safe. Your service is appreciated. If you want to volunteer with the NSFC, please complete the online application at NSFC.org/content/membership or call 610-356-9590 and select Option 2.