Pastor Jere Scott Bradshaw talked to Morgantown Area Business Association members about the Friends of the Twin Valley Fire Department at their breakfast meeting Dec. 16.
Bradshaw began serving as pastor at Community Evangelical Free Church, 52 S. Brick Lane, Elverson, in 2012, said MABA Board President Linda Lovenstein, introducing the speaker. Bradshaw grew up in Nashville and graduated from the University of Tennessee. After his graduate studies he served as a youth minister for six years in Alabama.
“Jere Scott, as well as other people in the community, started the Friends of the Twin Valley Fire Department in 2012 to help our local volunteer firemen in their task by helping to raise their deficit in their annual budget.”
The Pastor visited Holiday Inn Morgantown and spoke with Lovenstein a few weeks prior to this meeting.
“I was just captivated by his ministry, his service and what he was doing for the community and I thought it would be a real injustice if I didn’t invite him here to speak to you,” said Lovenstein, the former VP of Events.
“What was funny was when I met with Linda, we’ve never met before, she started to say, what’s the deal? Why are you doing this?” said Bradshaw. “I’m just a person in the area who wants to help other people in the area and helping the fire department seems like a great way to serve.”
In 2012, Bradshaw met Bob Gebhart, President of the Twin Valley Fire Department, and other fire department representatives, “They have saved last year almost $500,000 worth of taxes and you consider how many volunteer hours… they’re not paid.”
“When you look ahead to the next year, they have a $75,000 deficit, it’s not because of improper financial planning. They actually have a 10-year budget,” said Bradshaw.
To help reduce the deficit, Friends of the Fire Department began visiting local businesses to see if they could “help subsidize this shortfall with some of your end of the year giving.”
Lovenstein said that what Friends of the Fire Department are trying to do is eliminate the need for the firefighters to stand out on Route 23 in their firefighter gear asking for donations.
“These guys give about 20 hours a week. We’re saying you be firemen, and we’ll be your friends. You don’t have to worry about standing out on street corners,” said Bradshaw.
He also noted that the mailers requesting donations, by human nature, go right in the trash.
“We’re trying to make it as personal as possible,” said Bradshaw. “We visited 19 businesses.”
Twin Valley Fire Department, established in 2005 after the merger of Elverson and Friendship fire companies, serves the communities of Caernarvon Township (Berks), New Morgan Borough, Elverson, West Nantmeal Township, East Nantmeal Township and Warwick Township. The department has 44 active members and responds to an average of 398 calls each year, according a fire department brochure, produced by Masthof Press, Morgantown.
Twin Valley Fire Department’s 2015 Budget includes an income of $43,600. Cost of Income is $39,300, Operating Expenses are $224,400 and Fire Truck Payments are $254,266. The 2015 deficit is $74,366, according to the fire department brochure.
The Friends also began having community night events to recognize what the fire department was doing in the community. This summer they hosted Family Fun Movie Nights. About 100 people attended the first event and by the third event about 200 attended.
“There was a slideshow going celebrating what our fire department does to help out our area,” said Bradshaw.
MABA members were encouraged to get involved in Friends of the Fire Department.
“Man power is a wonderful gift,” he said.
“If everyone put in their smallest donation, I think that would cover everything,” said Mark Cummins, former president. “Just contribute a little. God forbid your house is the one that catches fire or it’s your loved one who has a medical emergency. To me, it’s worth it.”
Informational brochures were provided as well as envelopes and forms for making donations.
For more information about the Twin Valley Fire Department, visit http://www.tvfd69.com/. Donations can be made on the website.
The 2015 MABA Board are President Linda Lovenstein, Secretary Bunny Graham, Treasurer Dave Hinkel, VP of Membership Roseann Thomas, VP of Marketing KC Trost and VP of Events Kelly Spica, Susquehanna Bank. For more about MABA, visit http://www.maba-online.com/.