Shultz & Co. Hardware is first to
sponsor FireSafe Birthday Program

Mid-Town – May 1, 2001 --- Shultz & Co., a community based hardware and appliance store located at the corner of Lake and Commercial Streets in the Village of Angola is the first corporate sponsor to sign up for Evans Center's newly announced FireSAFE Birthday Party Program.

Under the sponsorship program, Shultz & Co. will provide a birthday gift of a smoke detector and a home fire extinguisher at each party the fire department hosts. Store Owners Phil and RoseAnn VanKoughnet were excited to participate when Evans Center came to them with the concept.

“Shultz & Co. has a long standing tradition in our community spanning over a hundred years. The volunteer fire department is one of the lasting traditions of what is right about America and our community.” Phil said.

"The program is designed to serve many objectives: public relations, recruitment, fire prevention, and general awareness of what the fire department does and has to offer," says Tiger Schmittendorf, Public Information Officer for Evans Center.

The plan calls for the fire department to host at least one birthday party each month starting in the fall. The party will include a station tour, fire engine rides, traditional cake and ice cream, fun fire safety related games and gifts for the kids. Evans Center plans to tie in their active Firefighter Explorer Post in helping to coordinate and host the parties.

By offering to host birthday parties in their new station, Evans Center hopes to increase the public's awareness of several life safety issues while delivering a valuable lesson in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

“What kid wouldn’t want to have their birthday party at a fire station?” was the feedback Evans Center received when they test marketed the idea at the recent Trade Expo hosted by the Evans-Brant Chamber of Commerce.

"With our new fire station, we have a unique opportunity and obligation to become a more community oriented emergency service provider while not losing focus of our core objectives. This program is one step in a long-term plan that leads promoting the concept of the fire station as a safe haven for kids and young adults – a program created and implemented by some large city fire departments.”

“We want the kids in the Evans Center neighborhood to see the fire station as a place to visit, a place to learn and a place to go in an emergency or if they're in any kind of trouble. We want them to know that we're here to help," said Fire Chief Dennis Allen.

Evans Center is already host to Boy Scout Troop #528, Cub Scout Pack #528 and Explorer Post #528. “We need to reach out to the youth in our community through more positive programs like this," added Clint Soemann, fire company president.

The Town of Evans Police Department’s Chief Robert Ferguson and D.A.R.E. Officer Bill Sills have also committed resources to the program. Information from the police department's Project: I.D. and Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) programs will be offered to birthday families.

"To make this program really work, we need other corporate sponsors to step up and donate items like pizzas, ice cream, birthday cakes and party gifts. We're already designing a recognition program to wrap around the sponsorships," Schmittendorf said.

This is a great opportunity for the fire department to reach out to the community – and for the community to rally around the fire department, helping them to spread their important fire and life safety messages.

Details of the FireSAFE Birthday program can be found at Evans Center's web site: www.ecvfc.org.

For more information about this press release, the fire company, or FireSAFE Birthday Program, please do not hesitate to contact: Tiger Schmittendorf/ Public Information Officer at 716/583-5150 or via e-mail: tiger@onscenemarketing.com. Shultz & Co. can be contacted at 716/549-0262.

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If you or anyone you know are interested in volunteering, please do not hesitate to contact the Evans Center Fire Company at 716/549-1221 or via e-mail at: info@ecvfc.org.

Digital or print photos are available upon request. For photos or more information, contact Tiger Schmittendorf of OnScene Marketing Services at 716/583-5150 or via e-mail to tiger@onscenemarketing.com.