Trish Bennett, Editor
CIRCLEVILLE – A donation to Box65 from the Norfolk Southern railroad on Tuesday will be used to purchase equipment for the local emergency scene support unit.
Bryant J. Thomas, manager of government relations for Norfolk Southern, said the company was pleased to present the $1,000 grant to the group to assist them in achieving some of their goals.
Box65, which began as a volunteer auxiliary unit of the Circleville Fire Department in 2010, still relies on donations and volunteers to provide food, beverages, resting stations, heating and cooling services and more to crews at emergency scenes.
The scope of its services quickly expanded, however, to include not only the Circleville Fire Department, but also crews from other Pickaway County departments and beyond in neighboring counties throughout the area.
It also recently became part of the county’s Active 911 dispatching system and can assist local law enforcement agencies when a prolonged presence is needed and is set to begin working on projects with Ohio Christian University’s Disaster Management program.
While the group continues to seek grants and funding through public sources, its members continue to raise money for the cause through local fundraisers and community support. One of those efforts is a monthly fish fry held the first Saturday of each month at Circleville Station 2, its base of operations located at 1220 S. Court St. near McDonald’s.
Box65 currently is raffling a rolling tool chest as a fundraiser, with about 100 tickets left of the 300 total for sale. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25, and the drawing will be held once the last ticket is sold. Tickets can be obtained from any Box65 volunteer or by calling Greg Myers at 740-248-1366 or Carl Myers at 740-412-1387.
Community members also can support the group through Kroger Community Awards, which donates money to various charity organizations each time you use your Kroger Plus card. The Box65 organization number is 88679 and can be added to your Kroger Plus card by visiting www.krogercommunityrewards.com or at the customer service desk at the local store.
Box65 also will host a Car/Bike Show on June 11 (rain date Aug. 13) in front of the Pickaway County Courthouse. Registration is $10 and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with awards presented at 4 p.m. The event also will include door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, games for the kids and a fish fry. For more information, contact Greg Myers or Carl Myers at the above phone numbers or email [email protected]. The monthly fish fry for June will be part of this event and will not be held separately on the first Saturday of the month.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
