The Hoover Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting its first ‘Backyard Bash’ this year, on August 12th. The idea was brought to the organization from Tammye Johnston, whose son is a junior firefighter for the department.
“Tammye pitched the idea and we loved it,” Assistant Chief, Brian Snapp said. “We’d been looking for something to do as an annual fundraiser and this was a perfect idea. She has hit the ground running and making this happen, and we’re just doing anything she needs us to do to help. We’re hoping this becomes the annual fundraiser that we can grow and build on year after year.”
The bash will take place on the same day as the rodeo, with the events starting at 11, following the annual rodeo parade. The event will run till 5 in the evening, the perfect time for folks to head across the road to the rodeo. The bash will have food trucks and vendors present at The Armory, with a craft show taking place inside the building. The department has secured five food trucks as of now, and a cook-off.
“We have several teams, roughly around seven right now registered,” Snapp said. “We will have a panel of judges, some members of the department but also some outside people to make sure it’s fair.”
Also happening is a corn-hole tournament, teams can pay to enter, and the fee is $30 a team. Prizes will be handed out to the winners, so far the bash can host 10 teams but if needed, can get more boards for more teams. Lieutenant Sam Gamble is over the corn-hole tournament, and teams interested in playing can contact him at (806)662-0931.
“She got this off the ground so we thought we could help by providing some stuff as well,” Snapp said. “The department will have firetrucks out there for the kids to climb around in and see, and if the weather is good, spray some water. No one wants to get sprayed wet if it’s already raining outside.”
The bash will also have jump houses, and the wives of the department will prepare desserts for folks that come out.
“She through this together so we’re doing whatever she needs from us,” Snapp said. “This has taken off more than we expected. When we put the date out there, we wanted people to know that we aren’t trying to compete with the rodeo. The times of our event give people something to do in between the parade and those that are hopefully going out to the rodeo. We hope this helps us, but also draws a crowd out to the rodeo.”
The fundraisers are to help the department with equipment and necessities, but also for a new project they’ve received.
“We were awarded a military truck from the forest service,” Snapp said. “It’s a good truck, once we receive it, we have 100 days to get it into service or possibly lose it. So this is hopefully going to help fund getting that truck up and running as quickly as possible. This truck will ease up how hard some of the other trucks have to work.”
For more information, reach out to the Hoover Volunteer Fire Department, or to register for one of the events reach out to Tammye Johnston or Sam Gamble.
