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HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP – A nearly 100-year-old fire engine has made the long journey back to where it began in 1925 and will be on display this Saturday, Sept. 10 at Kelly Music for Life’s Haverford First Fest Music Festival, celebrating first responders, at 50 E. Eagle Road, Havertown.
For more information about the event, visit https://bit.ly/3x0h2nS/
Oakmont Fire Company located one of its original trucks and arranged for its return to Havertown to be cleaned up and restored. The 1925 American LaFrance Fire Engine still bears the name, “Oakmont Fire Co. No. 1” and features the original bell and gold leaf trim as well as other original features.
Oakmont Fire sold the truck in the 1950s to a private collector in New Jersey. Since then, it has changed hands to one other collector until Oakmont tracked it down in Pleasant Hill, Mo., outside Kansas City, and transported it back home to Havertown in July.
According to the fire company, “This fire engine is a piece of our history. Not just Oakmont Fire Company, but all of Haverford Township. Amazingly, the truck actually runs, but needs repair to the gas tank among other things before it is roadworthy. It will take time and money to clean up and restore it. We are hopeful that the community embraces this piece of history.”
The 1925 fire engine is not likely to ever be called out in an emergency again. The fundraising effort is intended to help preserve a piece of history in Haverford Township. To make old Oakmont Fire Company No. 1 presentable and parade ready, it will require a large fundraising effort. officials said.
Event organizer Tom Kelly added, “Oakmont Fire Company was the first fire department in Haverford Township. This fire engine was one of the first trucks on Oakmont Fire’s family tree. This Saturday it will take its first drive on Havertown roads since its return. Kelly Music is honored to welcome it home for its first public appearance at Haverford First Fest Music Festival, as we celebrate our first responders.“
At 9:45 a.m. this Saturday, Sept. 10, Oakmont Fire Company members plan to drive the truck from the firehouse at 23 W. Benedict Ave. to the festival site at 50 E. Eagle Road, a voyage of about three-tenths of a mile. The antique fire engine will be on display all day, alongside one of Oakmont Fire Company’s newer trucks.
All are welcome to see and photograph the classic fire engine.
To help with the restoration effort, the fire company is accepting donations. Checks can be made to Oakmont Fire Company Truck Restoration, 23 W. Benedict Ave., Havertown, PA 19083
For more information about the truck and fundraising effort, call the firehouse at 610-446-9837 and leave a message, or visit https://www.oakmontfire.org/.
For more information on the Kelly Music First Fest, featuring music, food and vendors, indoors and outdoors, all day, visit https://kellycenter.org/. Kelly Center for Music, Arts and Community is at 4 E. Eagle Road, Havertown.
Ridley Park Victorian Fair is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Sept. 10 at Ridley Lake, Constitution and Ridley Avenues. The Victorian Fair features food, craft and other vendors, a walking tour of Victorian Ridley Park, a historic train display, paddle boat rides on the lake, a trampoline, and an Orbitron.
In addition, free entertainment is provided all day long and will include Irish dancers, acoustic jazz, Laela Giovanna and Ryan Gilfillian, the Barnstormer Kids, singer Kyleigh Bleacher, the Duster Band and a magic show.
The rain date will be Sunday, Sept. 11.
Associazione Regionale Abruzzese Delco will hold its 15th annual fundraiser to benefit the communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence and the Italian Language Scholarship Fund on Sunday, Oct. 2 from 2 to 6 p.m. at The Phoenix Ballroom, 1661 Mill Road, Upper Chichester.
Cost is $35 for adults; $10 for children ages 7 to 13; and free for younger children. Ticket price includes a buffet dinner, desserts, coffee, wine, beer and music by Vito Lombardo of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Tickets are limited and always sell out quickly.
Everyone must pay in advance. There will be no walk-ins.
Deadline for ticket sales is Thursday, Sept. 15. For tickets, call Nick Rapagnani at 610-212-9888, Rose Patton at 610-505-4599, or Maria DiMattia at 610-405-3864. Donations of raffle baskets and items for baskets are also needed.
Norwood United Methodist Church, 315 Chester Pike, Norwood, will hold a make-your-own sundae fundraiser to benefit the Ed Sabre family Sunday Sept. 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Adults, $5; children 3-17, $4; and kids under 3, $2.
In June, Sabre suffered a debilitating stroke. The fundraiser will help his family of 10 with mounting expenses. For more information, visit http://www.NorwoodUMC.org/.
The 67th annual Hero Thrill Show is set for Saturday Sept. 10 from noon to 4:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St., Philadelphia.
Attendees can enjoy cool performances on hot wheels at the Hero Thrill, featuring displays of crime-fighting equipment by Aviation Unit, Bomb Squad, the Crime Scene Investigation Unit, the Police Mounted Unit, the Marine Unit, Firearms Instructors, S.W.A.T. and U.S. Homeland Security as well as daredevil performances by the world-famous Police Highway Motorcycle Patrol Drill Team, Police K-9 Unit and Bicycle Strike Force, organizers said.
The Philadelphia Fire Department will exhibit fire equipment and perform safety exercises, and mock risky rescue operations and procedures.
Families can enjoy legendary WOGL radio personality Bob Pantano’s “The Sound of Philly” dance music, games of chance, fire engine rides, sitting in the seat of a helicopter, being up close to a 29-foot U.S. Coast Guard rescue boat, and with giveaways, boardwalk food, sports-team mascots and cheerleader, organizers said.
The co-grand marshal is Andy Chen.
The Philadelphia Highway Patrol Motorcycle Drill Team Officer, a 24-year veteran of the force, was severely injured and paralyzed in an accident with a car as he headed to work on his motorcycle in Northeast Philadelphia in January 2019.
The Hero Thrill Show is the only organization that pays for the college tuition of the children of police officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty. The Hero Thrill Show is not affiliated with the Hero Scholarship Fund.
Tickets are $15 each and $35 for families up to five members.
They are available onsite Sept. 10 at the entrance gates, or in advance at Philadelphia police and fire stations and on eventbrite.com.
For more information, visit http://herothrillshow.org.
The New Avenue Foundation and Tree of Life Church will present Zac Chap at Our Community Cup Coffeehouse, a coffeehouse for people of all abilities Friday Sept. 9 from 6 to 8:15 p.m. at Tree of Life Church, 933 Baltimore Pike, Springfield.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for craft activities and music begins at 7 p.m.
Chap is a songwriter/performer from the Philadelphia area, offering a page out of the great American songbook that is Dylan, Dead, Havens and The Band, organizers said.
At the age of 23, Chap has already released music on all major streaming services, several singles, and his first EP, “Wingless.”
He has performed at venues such as World Café Live, Boxcar Brewery and Red Iron Pub.
In 2020, he helped to co-found the Delco Quarantine Open Mic, which boasts 15,000+ members, and supports local artists and small businesses affected by the COVID-19 economic shutdown.
Also, Zac is an active member of the local community. He dedicates much of his time to raising money for important causes such as the Elephants for Autism Online Music Festival and the Concert for Crystal.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/therealZacChap//.
On Friday, Sept. 16, the coffeehouse will feature bingo, as well as musical guest Lettuce Pray. For more information about Our Community Cup Coffeehouse and how to participate, contact Jim Wurster at jim@newfdn.org or 610-246-8939 or Kate McShane at 610-731-5931.
Readers can email community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com/.
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