Kendall FD hosts kids for pizza party after shoveling out fire hydrants

Photos courtesy of Kendall Fire Department: The Kendall Fire Hall hosted a pizza party for children who shoveled out a fire hydrant or a neighbor’s driveway during a snow day on Jan. 26.

Press Release, Kendall Fire Department

KENDALL – What started as a simple snow-day contest for kids last week quickly turned into something special for the Kendall Fire District and the entire Kendall community.

During the snow day, the Kendall Fire District posted a challenge on Facebook inviting children in the community to shovel out a fire hydrant or help clear a neighbor’s driveway. Any child who participated and shared a photo would have their name placed into a hat for a live Facebook drawing, with the winner earning a ride to school in a fire truck.

Kendall Deputy Fire Chief Mike Cole, back left, and Fire Chief Randy Davis greet kids who will get a ride to school on a fire truck.

“We honestly thought we might get four or five kids to take part,” said James Fox, Captain with the Kendall Fire District. “Instead, it turned into more than 40 kids stepping up to help others.”

The overwhelming response caught the attention of the district’s Public Relations and Community Outreach Team. Impressed by the number of young participants and their willingness to serve, the department decided they wanted to do more to show their appreciation. A pizza party was planned at the firehouse to recognize every child who gave their time to help the community, as well as the parents and guardians who ensured the activities were completed safely and shared photos with the department.

As soon as the pizza party was announced, local businesses began calling the firehouse asking how they could help. Community support poured in. Partyka Farms donated an ice cream cone for each contestant. J&M Auto Service paid for all of the pizza, while Hamlin Pizza Shack donated fried dough, soda and water, and provided free delivery of all the pizza.

The recognition continued at school as well. The Kendall School District honored every participant during its Student of the Month ceremony. District Chief Randy Davis and Deputy Chief Mike Cole attended the ceremony and presented certificates of appreciation to each child.

The pizza party was held yesterday evening at the firehouse and was filled with food, laughter, and fun. Kevin Watson, the elementary school principal, was the guest of honor and pulled the winners’ names from a hat. The district then decided why stop at just one winner?

Instead of selecting a single child, the District chose to fill three large fire apparatus with winners. As a result, four children will now receive a full escort to school in a fire truck. The winners are Jeffery Lutes, Nora Rasmusson, and siblings Presley and Brantley Cole.

What began as a fun snow-day activity became a powerful reflection of what Kendall represents: One Family, One School, One Community. District Chiefs Davis and Cole say they are excited about future events involving the community and encourage residents to be on the lookout for more fun and meaningful ways to get involved.