Green Township Fire Department captain Doug Messimer, paramedic Brandy Kemmer, and chief Todd Baird stand by the department’s barbecue grill that has been completed for use at its annual Firemen’s Festival set for Saturday, Aug. 2 behind its Lisbon Road station in Greenford. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

GREENFORD — For the 80th time, the Green Township Fire Dept. Association is hosting its namesake festival in its backyard.

Family, food and fun run from 4:30-9 p.m. this Saturday at 12210 Lisbon Road (behind the fire station.)

The event is open to the public.

Todd Baird, who has served as fire chief 23 of the department 80-plus years, looks for this eventto be better than ever — especially thanks to the contributions of Brandy Kemmer and Doug Messimer.

While Green Township is based in Mahoning County, it does contract with Columbiana County entities like the village of Washingtonville to provide fire and EMS protection.

Around 100 of the department’s 600 calls are in Washingtonville; however, the department also responds to quite a few mutual aid requests by other municipalities like a fire at Martig Farms near Damascus last week.

“When someone needs our assistance, we have a strong belief that we should respond (especially in regards to EMS calls),” Kemmer, a paramedic with Green Township, added. She also oversaw this year’s basket auction –a sheet of 26 tickets costs $20. Tickets are sold up to 8:30 p.m., when the tickets are drawn near the conclusion of the event.

She credits area businesses for their donations, which make this event successful each year.

In Messimer’s case, the fire captain and retired bricklayer led the construction of a block barbecue pit at the request of Chief Baird.

Baird and Messimer thanked Chappell and Zimmerman for the donation of the 118 blocks used to complete the project, which fire crews hope will see a lot of use in the future for their fundraising efforts.

Its inaugural use will be at this year’s festival, when it kicks of chicken dinner sales around 4:30 p.m. with help of the Greenford Ruritans.

Chicken dinners with all the fixings, like baked beans, macaroni and cheese, vegetable, and a slice of White House pie, cost $14 each. Drive-thru and pickup also willl be available.

Customers preferring soda, tea or lemon shakes can purchase those for an additional fee.

The department also has ramped up the fun zone offerings.

While they still don’t offer carnival rides, festival goers can enjoy a 30-foot inflatable obstacle course or bounce house in addition to the various games.

The Throw Together Band from Youngstown will take the stage to perform live music at 5:30 p.m.

Chief Baird expects the event fun to conclude at 9 p.m., after the drawing of basket auction tickets.