NETHER PROVIDENCE — Members of the Garden City Fire Company in Wallingford are trained and ready to respond when the fire alarm sounds.
To highlight the department’s professionalism, stellar service and the opportunities that volunteering offers, it has launched a volunteer recruitment campaign through a new website, http://www.GardenCityFirefighter.org.
With a tagline of “Trained to Save, Inspired to Serve — Volunteer,” the campaign will help ensure Garden City’s commitment to protecting the citizens of Nether Providence Township, Rose Valley borough and the surrounding communities. The tagline will be incorporated into all new print and electronic marketing materials, in hopes of inspiring residents within the community to take action and volunteer.
The new website offers more information about the department, ways to volunteer and explains the benefits that come from volunteering.
While on the website, those who are interested are encouraged to fill out an inquiry form. A member of the department will contact anybody who inquiries within 24 to 48 hours.
Recruitment efforts will also include targeted residential mailings, lawn signs and displays units for community events. Social media management, public relations and video content will reach potential volunteers.
“We are looking for community members who are interested in serving and protecting their neighbors,” said Michelle Carroll, an administrative officer and treasurer with the fire company. “Our volunteers embody our slogan. They’re trained to save and inspired to serve. Some have even gone onto paid careers in public service, through the training and experience they gained with us.”
“I learned dedication and found friendship from being here that I’ve been able to use through life,” said Garden City Firefighter William Smith.
The campaign is funded through the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will run through 2026 and is no cost to taxpayers.
Garden City primarily needs volunteers to help fight fires, but there’s also other opportunities to contribute. Volunteers can join as an active administrative member, or get a head start as a junior/cadet. All training and equipment are provided to volunteers are no cost.
The following opportunities are available:
• Active member firefighter: Train to fight fires, participate in building and vehicle rescues, and respond to medical emergencies. Learn how to use high-level equipment and train with members. Must be 18 years or older to become an active firefighter.
• Active member administrative: Put skills and talents to valuable use as an active member providing administrative support. Assist at community and recruitment events, help with fundraising and grant writing, accounting, bookkeeping and website and social media updates.
Garden City Fire Company has hired the services of The Communication Solutions Group, a public relations and marketing firm responsible for running volunteer recruitment and retention campaigns in Darby, Sharon Hill, Clifton Heights and other fire departments in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
To learn more about Garden City Fire Company or to fill out an inquiry form, visit http://www.GardenCityFirefighters.org.
Volunteers needed to clean up neighborhoods
Are you ready to Fight Dirty? Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has announced that registration is open for the 2023 Pick Up Pennsylvania, a community improvement initiative.
Pick Up Pennsylvania is a yearlong initiative.
However, events scheduled from March 1 through May 31 receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last.
Events can include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and education events. Events must be registered at http://keeppabeautiful.org to receive free cleanup supplies.
As part of this event, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association are sponsoring trash disposal, free of charge or at a reduced rate for registered program participants, at participating landfills from April 1 through April 30, with prior approval.
Want to fight dirty in your community but not sure where to start?
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is hosting a community cleanup training webinar on March 1 from 7 to 8 p.m. The training will include technical support for choosing an event location, organizing and mobilizing volunteers, coordinating trash disposal, accessing supplies and resources and more. A link will be made available closer to the date of the webinar at http://keeppabeautfiul.org, choose Programs, then Pick Up PA.
“Most people don’t think small pieces of litter make an impact, but it really does add up. Every litter bit matters when it comes to keeping Pennsylvania beautiful. By working together to pick up a little litter, we can make big improvements in our quality of life. We’re hoping that after the long winter, our residents are ready to get out there and fight dirty in their neighborhoods,” said Shannon Reiter, president of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Making an area more attractive with plants flowers or a fresh coat of paint can also help keep an area litter free. Anyone can participate in Pick Up PA by going to our website.”
Last year from March through May, 56,967 people participated in Pick Up Pennsylvania. Over 3.7 million pounds of trash and recyclables were picked up and 101,298 trees, flowers and other greens were planted.
Individuals, friends, family and groups large and small can help clean up vacant lots, streets and riverbanks, plant gardens and trees or mulch a local playground.
To host an event, join an event near you or to inquire about free supplies and trash disposal, visit keeppabeautiful.org, choose Programs, then Pick Up PA or contact Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.
Hedgerow Theatre Company kicks 100th anniversary season with ‘Good Grief ‘
Hedgerow Theatre Company is diving into its 100th season with the regional premiere of “Good Grief,” Ngozi Anyanwu’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-self-story set in Bensalem, Feb. 8-26, with opening night kicking off on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
“Good Grief” is co-directed by Zuhairah McGiil and Phillip Brown, who are also starring in the show. Tickets are $20-$35 and are available online at http://www.hedgerowtheatre.org. All shows are performed at Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Road, Rose Valley.
In this humorous and heartbreaking contemporary work, the young Nkechi explores the loss of her high school love in her childhood home in the Philly suburbs.
McGill and Brown are fresh off an exciting year of partnership for “The Royale” at Lantern Theatre and “Flyin’ West” at Quintessence Theatre, both of which Zuhairah directed, and in which Brown starred.
Morgan Charéce Hall, who co-starred with Brown in “The Royale,” performs as Nkechi. The cast includes Dell Jackson as MJG, James Ofalt as JD, and longtime Hedgerow member, Susan Wefel, as the neighbor.
Marcie Bramucci, Hedgerow’s executive artistic director, calls the play “immediate, nostalgic, specific and epic at the same time. This is a magical production with which to open our 100th.”
James Johnson joins the team as scenic designer. Will Lowry of Lehigh University is the lighting designer and Adrena Williams returns to Hedgerow as dramaturg. Colleen Hughes joins the team as intimacy director and Bella Capelli as stage manager.
Accessibility options will be available for productions including one week of open captioned performances, in which the text of the play and sound effects are displayed on a monitor to the side of the stage.
Open captioning can benefit individuals who are D/deaf, experience hearing loss or are English language learners. Audio-description is a service to provide a live audio feed of the visual information of the production, including settings, character descriptions and movements, which may benefit individuals who are blind or experience low vision.
Hedgerow will also produce a relaxed performance, which is a sensory-friendly, judgment-free and inclusive environment for patrons with a range of sensory and communication differences, including individuals with autism and people of a range of disabilities, and anyone who would benefit from a relaxed theater-going environment. Pre-performance sensory tours will be given prior to curtain on the day of the relaxed performances.
For more information about “Good Grief” and its performances, visit http://www.hedgerowtheatre.org.
Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com.