While the Dalum Fire Department hasn’t wasted any time in constructing its new fire hall, it is looking towards UFA’s Get ‘n’ Give Contest to help put their fundraising over the top.
The Mail announced in June of last year the department was planning to start construction on its six bay fire hall. The cost of the structure was estimated to be just shy of $900,000 and the Dalum Fire Protection Association had a commitment from Wheatland County for 60 per cent of the funding.
Fast-forward to January and Colin Jensen, president of the Dalum Fire Protection Association says this week the building will be sealed in.
The hall more than doubles their space and it allows them to store all of their apparatus in one place. The new hall will also provide the department with a new space for meeting and training. A simple luxury like a washroom will be included in the new hall.
Currently the department stores some of their equipment out doors and even offsite on a farm four miles away.
Jensen said one of their fundraising endeavours is they have entered the UFA Rural From The Roots Up, Get ‘n’ Give contest.
This unique contest will be providing five grants of $50,000 to community groups. What sets the contest apart is after one group is awarded the prize, that group selects the next recipient.
The Mail brought readers the story of the Village of Hussar being selected as a winner for upgrades to its community hall in the October 30 edition. Since then, the Village of Hussar selected Foremost Minor Hockey as the next recipient. In the next round Dalum was a finalist but they were overlooked by Foremost, which selected the Spruce View Agriculture Society.
Jensen says they are undaunted by not being selected and are getting ready for the next round, by tweaking their entry submission. This includes an entertaining video, comically demonstrating some of the struggles the department faces with its cramped space, lack of running water and starting a fire truck stored outside during the winter.
The deadline for the Department to resubmit is February 6 for the second last prize.
The Dalum Fire Department has 15 volunteer members and seven apparatus. It has vehicle extrication capabilities and mutual aid agreements with Cluny, Drumheller Hussar, Rockyford, Rosebud and Standard fire departments.
You can view the video here
