When looking for a place to stay during a trip to Maine, Jacob Wolf and Hwa Yoo found Orr’s Island.
Since both are casual runners, they lined up at the Orr’s Island Fire Station at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10, for the 5K fun run that kicks off the department’s annual community celebration.
The race, which brought out more than 20 runners, turns around at the south end of the Cribstone Bridge and ends back at the station.
While Wolf and Yoo did not expect so many hills, they were happy with their time and enjoyed the scenery, including the bridge. One of the best parts, however, was the community.
“Everyone’s very friendly,” Yoo said. “All the random people were super supportive, like cheering you on.”
The community celebration continued as the department opened its doors to show the public how it works.
“It’s all about visibility, all about getting to know the neighbors,” said Ted Merriman, the president of the department’s board of directors. “It’s literally opening our doors and welcoming the community to be part of us.”
The event is in its third year after the COVID-19 pandemic ended the department’s annual auction. Lacking the personnel to restart it, the department began the celebration to continue bringing the community together, said Kathy Hirst, treasurer of the department’s board.
The celebration included food, live music from Tom DiMenna, and a raffle with gift cards, wine baskets, and works of art. More importantly, the event allowed people to see the inside of the fire station and meet the volunteers. The inside of a fire truck was especially popular with young visitors.
“Most people drive by and the doors are closed and there’s nothing going on,” Merriman said. “This is an opportunity to open the doors, take a walk through, realize we’re human.”
Merriman said he hopes to expand the event in future years with more events, such as a tug-of-war, and other members of the community, such as lobstermen.
Merriman said the questions from visitors were a highlight of the event. He said it is important to talk to the community about posting clear house numbers and the department’s reliance on volunteers and donations, among other subjects.
“I think the qualification to be a volunteer is wanting to help your neighbor,” Merriman said. “We’re humans, right? We’re not professionals, though we act professionally.”
