Elks give back old refreshment stand sign from when AFD had carnival

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION –  The Elks Lodge on Thursday evening gave the Albion Fire Department an old sign from back when the AFD held a carnival.

Pictured from left include former fire chief Harry Papponetti; AFD President Nathan Bloom; Carl Phillips, chairman of the trustees for the Elks; Lynda Standish, secretary for the Elks; Jim Peruzzini, assistant chief for AFD; Mike Jenks, exalted ruler for the Elks; Jen Stephenson, riders chaplain for the Elks; Richard Robb Sr., leading knight for the Elks; Al Cheverie, past AFD president and current chairman for the Albion-Gaines Joint Fire District; and Scott Papponetti, vice president of the AFD.

The fire department used to own the Elks Lodge at 428 West State St. It was sold to the Elks about 20 years ago.

The Elks were cleaning out a building it refers to as the “doghouse” in July behind the bathrooms when it found the old sign highlighting the refreshment stand for the Albion Emergency Squad. Hot dogs and hamburgers were 50 cents, and pop was 25 cents.

One mystery with the sign, who made it? The AFD and Elks wonder who “CN’s” represents.

The doghouse building had been storage for the Elks, but the lodge is going to use it as a garage to keep lawn mowers, weedwackers and other maintenance equipment.

Mike Jenks, the exalted ruler for the Elks, said the sign was facing backwards and for many years the Elks didn’t realize it was from when the AFD operated the carnival. The fire department ran that event until about 1990. The carnival used to be near the fire hall on Platt Street and moved to the West State Street in the early 1960s.

Harry Papponetti, a member of the AFD for 54 years, said the department not only sold hamburgers, hot dogs and pop, but also served French fries and Italian sausage. Many of the local fire departments used to have carnivals, but only Kendall still does it, although this year it was a field days because a company couldn’t be secured for the amusement rides.

The Albion Fire Department hung up the sign inside the fire hall after the Elks presented it on Thursday evening. The sign is near other memorabilia in the department, including photos of older fire trucks and parade banners from the former Dye Hose, Active and Hart companies.

The Active Hose Company No. 2, Hart Protective Hose Company No. 3 and Dye Hose Company No. 5 consolidated in 1976 into the Albion Fire Department.