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GREENFORD--The 73rd Green Township Volunteer Firemen's Festival will be held from 4:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the fire station, 12210 Lisbon Road.
Fire Chief Todd Baird said the event, one of the oldest festivals in the area, is the biggest fundraiser for the department. The money raised is used to pay for equipment.
The festival, which originated in 1945, is free and open to the public with children's entertainment, food and handicapped access.
"Most of the activities will be behind the fire station," he said, and for Saturday only there will be no recycling since the drop-off center is behind the station.
Parking has been arranged at the Greenford Tractor Co., the Christian and Lutheran churches, Green Star Co-op and the library. Tractors will shuttle festival-goers back and forth every 10 minutes.
Prior to last year the festival was held at the Space Center on state Route 165.
There will be a raffle with four grand prizes of $500, second prize of $200, third prize of $100 and the fourth prize of $50. Winners don't have to be present for the big prizes, but they must be present for the numerous spot prizes that will be awarded throughout the festival. Spot drawings will be every half hour.
There are prizes of all kinds, Baird said, including hair cuts, car washes, oil changes, gift cards from businesses like Busy Beaver, and many other prizes.
He said White House Fruit Farm donates half the money from the pies it provides and other food for sale includes hot sausage, cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches.
As the biggest fundraiser, the festival has provided half the costs of an ambulance and a cardiac monitor, Baird said, explaining the township government assisted with the purchases.
This year the department missed out on a state fire marshal's grant, so the festival becomes more important for fund raising.
There are still spaces available for the vendors and they can obtain information by visiting the fire department's page on Facebook.
lshields@salemnews.net