32 Comments
May 17, 2023·edited May 17, 2023Liked by lyz

This story is good because of Jim and his wife and the fire department and Delta. It also made me reflect on the power of one or two people who see a need, to fill it. The way the world is now, globally focused with soul crushing issues, it’s STILL POSSIBLE to make a profound positive difference. Anywhere. Start anywhere, start small, start now.

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Almost 10 years ago, the house I lived in caught fire. It started in the light over my kitchen sink, but the fire wasn't visible, because it was burning in the ceiling. The house was a few miles out in the country from this small Iowa town that has an all-volunteer fire department.

It was summer, and I was home with my 3 kids and dog. For the first time in my life, I called 911. The sheriff got there first. He assessed the situation and assured me the fire trucks were on the way. A couple minutes later, they arrived. Not just one but two. And a couple of ambulances. There were about a dozen firefighters and a couple of EMTs, who, when they checked on us and made sure we weren't injured, stayed around to hand water bottles to the firefighters. Time kind of warps, so I'm not really sure how long they were there, but it couldn't have been much more than an hour. The fire was out, and they were all gone. The kitchen was a mess, but the house was still standing.

They had all been at work -- at a bank, at school, at a gas station -- when they'd gotten the call about my fire. I don't know if they showered, decompressed, and called it a day or if they went back to their jobs after that. I was just incredibly grateful for all of them that day.

I had always taken the kids to the annual soup supper fundraiser at the firehouse, and I went with them on their school field trips to the firehouse, where they got to climb on the trucks and got to take home little red plastic firefighter helmets. I put money in their boots when they stopped traffic and the main stoplight in town. I always knew it was important to have a healthy fire department, and I always supported it.

That's a big job Jim is doing. Good for him and for that little town of his!

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As someone who lives in a place where the volunteer fire department is absolutely crucial to survival, I loved this

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Thank you, Lyz. Iowa's small town volunteer fire departments and their dedication to their community...I love the story of the Marne, Iowa FD. In 2001, RAGBRAI was scheduled to pass through Marne and the town planned on operating a beer garden to raise money for the purchase of new equipment for the fire department. Two weeks before the ride, RAGBRAI officials changed the route away from Marne because they thought people would stop in Marne and have too much to drink. (Well, yes. AND to help a rural FD get much-needed equipment, duh). Word spread among RAGBRAI riders and hundreds stopped in Marne anyway. I'm not sure exactly how much money was raised but I'm told it was more than enough to buy the equipment they needed.

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Honored to share a name with Molly the cat and her namesake!!!

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My parents grew up in Delta and Dixie is my Mom’s best friend. I’m blown away that you found this fantastic story about a place that I have loved my entire life. My parents moved to Des Moines and my brother and I were raised here. We have never stopped returning to Delta because we crave the peaceful feeling of the small town. I’m sure Dixie did not tell you that Delta would be a complete ghost town if not for her. She is a remarkable woman that has spent her entire life serving her community in every way you can imagine. Thank you for shining a light on the beauty of small town life and the importance of being a part of a community. I’m going to go call Dixie and ask for her autograph! (You could write a book about this Superwoman!)

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May 17, 2023Liked by lyz

Great story. Good on Jim for working to make Delta a better place to live. It is great to hear how he is reshaping the fire department to better save people's lives and homes/businesses. I won't make their Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction but will be sending a contribution.

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May 17, 2023·edited May 17, 2023Liked by lyz

I loved this story. I'm from a small town like Delta and my dad and a number of family members were (or still are) volunteer firefighters. I grew up across the road from the fire hall/community center. They have done a lot of good and saved lives; the nearest small hospital is 10 miles away. Thank you for writing these pieces, Lyz!

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We need positive stories like this here in red Iowa. I have another great one for you if you’re interest. It’s how 71 women came together to save and restore a building that had been devastated by tens of thousands of gallons of water from frozen pipes in February 2019, equip it with a state of the art kitchen and locate a creative young woman chef who opened The Centennial restaurant in July 2022. Each of these 71 women donated 5,000 without any chance of getting a return for their money. This seed stock became the basis for the money needed to accomplish the project, and was augmented by very important cooperation from our small town, and several grants. I’ve been part of this as a director and it is one thing for me to pull out and draw comfort from when I’m continually hit with all the negative developments in Iowa government.

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If you're looking for other good Iowa stories, I can connect you with the folks at Scattergood Friends School. It's in West Branch. Has been since 1890. The school runs an organic farm and students work on the farm as part of their education. It's a pretty amazing place.

This was a great story, by the way. I live in a rural area and the volunteer fire departments in the outlying communities are absolutely essential.

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I grew up in a small town in Upstate NY. The population when I was growing up was around 1200; the population is now around 550. They dissolved the volunteer fire department about 8 years ago as there were not enough people volunteering to keep it going.

As a kid, I remember waking up my Dad because I heard the fire siren. He would jump out of bed, get dressed and head to the firehouse. Many people's lives were saved through the efforts of these volunteers, all of whom had to get up and go to work in the morning or stay up and go to work with no sleep. Now, the town depends on other volunteer fire departments to address any fires in town and it has resulted in some not great outcomes.

Thank you for this story.

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I grew up in Garner, Iowa, and our volunteer fire department was a deep source of pride in our community. I moved away 30 years ago but It seems to have held up well. (As has the town itself, all things considered.) Some of the most meaningful memories I have of growing up there are of being on State Street (our main street) when the fire siren would go off. Within moments men would emerge from stores and offices, running down the street to the fire station. Within minutes, the first truck would leave. Others who worked further away would drive to the station and leave their vehicles parked haphazardly and unlocked. Still others would go directly to the fire, knowing that their bunker gear would be there for them.

Recalling this even now brings tears to my eyes.

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I live about 7 miles south of Delta, but am not from Delta. Drive through it every time I go north. I love that you wrote this piece. It is equal parts sad and inspiring. There are good guys (and gals) like Jim out there trying to hold on to the parts of rural America that made it great. I am guessing I am one of your few subscribers from Keokuk County. Keep up the great pieces! I love reading your work.

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Gosh, what a great story and wonderfully written. From across the country in a very urban area, thank you for writing.

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every town in iowa that we lived in before we moved to cedar rapids/marion had a volunteer fire department. when we lived in northwestest iowa, my now son-in-law's house blew up due to a gas explosion on a freezing cold january night. the volunteers were there in minutes. the home couldn't be saved but everyone was okay. so grateful for everyone who volunteers. this is a great story. thank you for showing the wonderful side of iowa!

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So relate to this. I'm one whose parents mostly left, though my dad lived in and near the town where my family settled in the 1880s in Eastern Washington. Rosalia is where I'd spend time with my grandmother, and when I visited the couple who bought the old family house, they spoke of the split between "old" families in town and how those chasms have persisted. I was just a kid when I spent time there, so I never heard about it. I do know that the town really misunderstood my grandmother, who was a private person, brilliant, and who faced a really tough life raising three kids while living with her mother with whom she was not at all close. So many stories in these small towns.

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