Volunteering - a tradition

When asked about volunteering, 50-year fire department veteran Charlie Knapp gave this historic view:

	Photo courtesy of the Rasmussen family Before the railroad underpass, Main Street went over the Erie Railroad tracks as pictured in the 1910 photo of the annual July 4th parade as it passes Stranahan’s store on Main Street. The historic building is currently under renovation, as part of Sullivan County’s Main Street program. (Click for larger image)

“In past days, volunteering was a popular thing. Young people, were very interested in community. It was the thing to do. There was not a vast amount of different things you could do. A night out, an outing, a practice night was something to do.

Now, it’s pretty difficult to get to because you have your families and your job; there’s so much more work, and it’s hard to get young people committed.

“It’s different times. We have so many new people moving into the area, and a lot of them are younger, but I guess they don’t have the time to volunteer their services. I think every fire department and every ambulance corps needs volunteers.

“It’s important to recognize that the founders [of the fire department] have done such a great thing because in those days you’re only thinking that individuals have [to have] some kind of protection from fire and how to get people together in an emergency, when a building collapsed or when you get run over by a railroad train.”