Building on its relationship with the nearby fire station, St. Jacobs Place retirement community is preparing for the second annual St. Jacobs Funfest. The free event will be held July 26 at 10 Water St. in St. Jacobs, with all voluntary proceeds once again going to the Woolwich Fire Department.
The money will be used almost exclusively to improve safety-training programs.
“Were not sure how much they are going to raise yet; there’s always equipment the guys can use, but probably the majority is for fire education for the public,” said Dale Martin, the township’s deputy fire chief.
By provincial regulate, fire departments are required to provide significant fire safety training. Every year the department is required to purchase some training equipment and a significant amount of educational literature and any funds provided by the impending festival will help to ease the strain on the fire department’s own budget for mandatory public education programs.
Last year, Funfest attracted some 500 visitors despite scorching-hot summer temperatures, managing to raise more than $2,000 for the fire department. Organizers are working even harder this year to get the word out, having launched a media blitz. Information is available online and posters will be put up around entrances to the village closer to the date of the event.
The festival holds a promise of raffles, horse-drawn rides, children’s entertainment and live music under circumstances that, this year, are better suited for hot weather. With last year’s disappointment over an early close to the festival, the upcoming event will take into account heightened temperatures and longer periods of entertainment.
“Last year it was the hottest day of the summer and people were disappointed that we shut down at, I believe it was 3 o’clock, and they said that if it was later they could bring the family. So we decided this year it would be an evening event” says St. Jacobs Place executive director Marlen Boisvenue.
Instead of a daytime event, the festival will take place in the evening, starting 5 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m., with entertainment sheltered from the worst of the heat by tents. There will be a covered outdoor patio where desserts will be served and chilled water bottles will be available at various stations around the grounds. The fire station, located steps from the festival’s location, will also have its doors open in order to provide visitors with relief from the heat.
“We know that like with any volunteer fire department, financing is always an issue and we just wanted to help out and make their life easier as well,” said Boisvenue of the impetus for the event.
The Woolwich Fire Department has been generous in helping the retirement community with its fire plan and has made staff available to the community’s needs, she explained.
