Photo provided Shown here are the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Co.’s two engines. The firefighters are inviting the community to their company’s 75th anniversary celebration on Aug. 6.

HARRISVILLE — The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company is commemorating its 75th anniversary with a celebration on Saturday, Aug. 6.

There will be a Fish Fry with fish, fries, onion rings, and chicken bites from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. A parade will kick off at 4 p.m. from Olive Branch Cemetery; line-up is at 3:30 p.m.

The Fish Fry will stop serving food just before parade time and will resume after the parade concludes. Starting at 4:30 p.m., Dairy Jean hand-dipped ice cream will be available in the open lot across from the Fire Hall along with goodies from the Windy Ridge 4-H Club and special treats from 3-D Cakery.

At 6 p.m. in the open lot, awards for best appearing parade entries will be announced followed by music. Mike Ebbert and Ken Staley will be featured singers/guitarists in the 6 p.m. hour along with Brian Dawes on bass guitar and Dustin Kinsey on keyboard and vocals.

At 7 p.m., there will be a short program outlining the history of the HVFC. Names of current members and their years of service will be read as well, followed by a prayer. Dean Rutan, Dawes, and Kinsey will provide musical entertainment during the 7 p.m. hour. The evening activities, including the ice cream and sweets, will conclude at 8 p.m.

In the event of inclement weather, the music/program/ice cream/sweets portion of the event will take place inside of the fire truck garage. All residents in and around Harrisville are invited and encouraged to participate in the day’s festivities. All fire departments in Harrison, Jefferson, and Belmont counties are also invited and encouraged to attend the parade and stick around for the activities. Everyone is asked to bring a comfortable chair for the evening entertainment.

HVFC has a rich history. The first regular organized meeting of the HVFC was held on Jan. 10, 1947, in the Harrisville School building. Austin Wycoff was the first fire chief followed five years later by Edward Kliner. Dwaine Kliner, Edward’s grandson and current president of the HVFC, is a third generation member and third generation former fire chief, as his father, Charles Kliner, was also a former fire chief.

“It has been a solid and successful fire company for many years mainly because of the solid start with the leadership back in 1947,” Kliner said.

HVFC is still in possession of its 1968 International fire truck. The 54-year-old truck will be a featured entry in the parade. Even though it is no longer used for fire calls, it serves as a link to HVFC’s storied past. It made many fire calls during its 36 years in service.

Without the financial support of the community, the tremendous past support of the Ladies Auxiliary, and the countless hours of service from HVFC firefighters and EMT’s, both past and present, HVFC would not have reached its 75th anniversary milestone. That is why the celebration on Aug. 6 is not just for HVFC members; it’s for the entire community. It’s for the community of Harrisville, and it’s for the neighboring communities that provide faithful mutual aid support to Harrisville whenever called upon.

For more information about the HVFC 75th anniversary celebration or ways to help the fire company, either as a firefighter or EMT, contact Dustin Kinsey at 740-391-6052 or at dkinsey86@comcast.net.