T-L Photo/J.D. LONG Members of the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company are organizing plans to celebrate their 75 years in existence. Gathered, from left, are Fire Chief Kipp Bowers, Karl Bowers, Dwaine Klinier, Dennis Kinsey, Dustin Kinsey, Dean Rutan and Ralphie and Joel Rutan.

HARRISVILLE — An organization steeped proud tradition, as well as a necessity, is celebrating its 75 years of service to the community.

The Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company Inc. set plans on Aug. 6 for a fish fry from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. A parade will be held at 4 p.m., accompanied by desserts and music.

Fire Chief Kipp Bowers said the organization has been down to one fundraiser a year for the past few years because of COVID-19 and other interruptions.

“The way things have been around here, we’ve done one per year,” he said, but added that the members will be ramping things up from now on in hopes to get back to normal fundraising practices.

Harrisville is equipped with six trucks and one side-by-side but the members have a prized possession that sits in the back of the firehouse – a 1968 International engine they save for parades and events.

“We keep it as a reminder, more or less,” the chief said.

He then provided a little history, noting the very first “organized” meeting of the Harrisville Fire Company was held on Jan. 10, 1947. He and another member were cleaning up after last year’s Christmas dinner and noticed a plaque with a notation on the wall and realized the big year was a week away.

The actual first meeting occurred on Oct. 16, 1946, where 100 people were in attendance and signed up, according to the history of the HVFC. The company’s first truck was a 1935 Dodge, which was purchased from the Chiora (Pennsylvania) Fire Department. And the Harrisville company has been in the present fire station since 1948.

The HVFC also carries a bit of an unusual tradition – the company is home to five sets of fathers and sons with another pair of brothers, Mike and Mark Harris, who also contribute when they can. The others are Dennis and Dustin Kinsey, Mike E. and Mike A. Slaga, Karl and Kipp Bowers, brothers John and Joel Rutan with their father Dean and Rob and Riley Kubic.

Dustin Kinsey said they are not a department because they are not legally bound together with the village of Harrisville, though they do get some funds from the village.

Other sources of funding come from three townships: Shortcreek, Mount Pleasant and Wheeling townships contribute, but Kinsey said the bigger share comes from Shortcreek Township. The vast majority comes from various levies as well as fundraising.

Some other interesting history includes the story of the building they now occupy. It was purchased from Mabel and George Hobaugh for a mere $660. It was said that both firemen and townspeople purchased the blocks to build the hall for 17.5 cents per block.

The hall that sits next door, which is used for fundraising and other events, was purchased after a January 1974 meeting for $25,000 and was paid off in 1977.

A cake walk is scheduled for the last Saturday of October and a chicken barbeque is also planned for later in the year, but no date has been set.