NORTH FORK – A sure sign of spring is the annual Tri-tip BBQ, put on by the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. It is scheduled this year for Saturday, Apr. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the North Fork School, alongside the local Earth Day celebration.
This is the major fundraiser for the Auxiliary, who work hard all year to provide funds necessary to outfit Madera County Fire Department Station 11 firefighters with equipment not budgeted by the County or provided by Cal Fire.
Providing Station 11 staff with whatever they need to do their job well is the singular mission of the Auxiliary, with a lot of their funding generated by orchestrating a fantastic feed every spring for the community. Stop in and meet your Station 11 firefighters.
Besides the excellent fare at the BBQ – including tri-tip, beans (with vegetarian option), vegetarian pasta salad donated by the Chef at the Blue Heron Restaurant in YLP, greens for the salad donated by the Gnarly Carrot/ Kern Family Farm, a roll and drink, with coffee provided by Slim’s Koffee Shak – the Women’s Club will be there with a table full of home made desserts for sale, which will fund their scholarship program.
Dinners can even be ordered to-go, so if your significant other is busy that day clearing that all-important defensible space, you can bring them lunch, fresh off the grill.
Special displays planned for the day include the SkyLife air ambulance, CHP’s H40 helicopter, the Madera County Sheriff’s K9 team, Sierra Ambulance, a demonstration of the Jaws of Life, a ham radio setup, CRP Training information, the Madera Support Unit, and engines and equipment from Station 11. The helicopters are scheduled to land at noon.
But perhaps the most anticipated part of this event is the huge selection of items available to win in the drawing, and the opportunity to bid in the silent auction. Local merchants are always generous with their donations in support of our firefighters.
There will be display in honor of long-time Station 11 firefighter Frank Verduzco, and donations can be made to the Frank Verduzco scholarship fund. The two recipients from last year will be available to chat with people.
There will be T-shirts for sale with the Station 11 logo, and you can also order your reflective house number signs, to ensure first responders can find you when you call for help.
The BBQ will be served at the North Fork School’s Kennedy Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the drawing starts at 2 p.m. Tickets for the BBQ are $10 at the door, $8 presale. Seniors are just $8 and children under 10 are $5. Contact any NFVFDA member for tickets. Presale tickets will be available at the Post Office on Thursday and Friday, Apr. 20 and 21, from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.
For more information call Linda Gott-Maddox in the evening at 559-877-4458, or Sandy Chaille at 559-877-7796.
Also, Earth Day will be taking place at the same time at the North Fork School campus, so come enjoy both!
As always, community members are invited to join the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary and/or donate to the cause at any time.
