Good hoar frost coats everything right up to midday.
_______________________________
A 75th Anniversary Celebration (1940-2015) - Stokes Valley Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Saturday 30 May, 2015
Actually, I wasn't planning to attend the celebrations, and noted that the morning was turning out fairly pleasantly weather-wise, with a bit of sunshine and little wind really to worry about, although the air was somewhat on the cool side, hovering around 13.0 deg C by midday. And so, I figured, they were fortunate weather-wise, in striking such a pleasant day for their Anniversary, considering we were not too far off mid-winter in another month or so ...
Parents with young excited children were making their way on foot towards the Fire Station, by mid morning, and perhaps close to 100 cars were parked along our street leading to the Fire Station, during the morning ... so it was obviously big draw card, and a must-attend occasion for the local population...
However, a little before 1pm, I decided, 'why not pop down to the Fire Station', handily, just down the road from where we lived ... camera in hand - just in case, and maybe do a blog on it ...'take it as it comes' ...
So, the whole thing was a pure 'hit and miss' affair, my deciding at the last minute, so to speak ... and as it turned out, I soon got involved and caught up in the excitement of the days event, even arriving as late as I did, quickly decided a 'blog' was on the cards, all I just needed was the o.k. and support from the Fire Station crew, which I quickly achieved once I introduced myself to the first unsuspecting Fire crew staff member, Lee, who in turn handed me over to Kat [see photos below] who soon introduced me to her fellow colleagues ... and my blog was now well and truly underway, thanks to these two kind ladies! 8-D
It's not what you know, it's who you know! 8-D
The following pictures I think (and hope) give a snapshot of, and record the events and people involved in providing an interesting, educational and entertaining day, one of historical moment, on the 75th year of the Stokes Valley Volunteer Fire Brigade - a service performed purely on a voluntary basis, which I would warrant most never really give a second thought to, and thus we should never hesitate to show thanks and appreciation for their unselfish and caring attitude 8-)
It was an ideal day, thankfully weather-wise, for families and others to join in the celebrations - the entertainment, fun and excitement, the free handouts-directed especially at the younger residents (whom I kept tripping over as I engaged with Fire Staff members in my 'journalistic' attempts to gather the necessary material for that 'blog'!), not to mention the tempting sausage sizzle and a chance to purchase some of the 75th Jubilee memorabilia which included mugs and t-shirts, at the desk reception inside the station - and they did that in large numbers, as it so turned out.
By the time I arrived, early afternoon, the crowd was large by any standards, and probably exceeded 500 people at a conservative estimate as they lined the grassy field in expectation of the Grand Finale ... flames, smoke and all!
Programme - Street Parade and Open Day - Saturday 30 May, 2015
9.00am
Street Parade starts travelling from Stokes Valley RSA to Stokes Valley Fire Station - involving approximately 30 fire trucks and other fire-related vehicles.
10.00am
Open Day begins at the fire station - with a chance to meet the fire fighting crew who serve Stokes Valley and surrounding areas, and examine various current fire trucks, and vintage fire fighting units ( especially 'SQWIRT" ).
10:30am
Ladder Display
11.00am
Kitchen fire display and Wainuiomata VFB Competition Team display
11:30am
Road Crash Rescue demonstration
12:00pm
Kitchen Fire Display and Wainuiomata VFB Competition Team display
12:30pm
Boom Display
1:00pm
Grand Finale
___________________________________
|
