WILDWOOD – It was chaos averted at the Holly Beach Fire Company’s annual Christmas party. This year, as Vice President Michael Johnson put the final touches on decorations at the Pine Avenue firehouse and went to cook the food, the company’s fryer broke. With just 30 minutes to showtime, it was clear that the usual hot dogs, chicken strips, and fried goodies would not be ready in time for the kids’ arrival.
“In a rush, I called Bill’s Corner Deli. I told them I wanted to buy food, but they told me to bring what we had over there and they would cook it for us,” he said. “The day was saved.”
Nancy McGay, sister to the deli’s owner, said, “They tried to pay us and we said no! We try to help anyone we can on the island. It’s a small town. We’re all part of this community.”
This year’s party had a crowd of around 40 people. The annual gathering started 60 years ago, and things were a whole lot simpler then, Johnson said.
“It was started by two members who originally went out and bought one boy girl and one girl toy each for the kids. Everyone got the same thing: it was just balls or dolls! Now, we give a slip to the adults so we can have a better idea about what the kids want.”
Johnson said he looks forward to the party every year. It takes about ten people to decorate, prepare the food, and buy the gifts. Johnson sees it as a way to give back to the families who sacrifice much for the sake of their town.
“It’s to give back to the members and the families who miss their dads and husbands when they’re out on calls, it’s to give back to all of them. There’s a lot of time those guys spend away from their families.”
