PARSIPPANY — Well, the weather certainly did not cooperate Memorial Day weekend, with heavy rain, wind, and unusually cold temps pounding Parsippany, but that certainly did not deter Parsippany Volunteer Fire District 5 from going forward with their Annual Family BBQ/Picnic.
After all, our local first responders are a hardy bunch, and certainly not afraid of a little adverse weather. These dedicated public servants may be all business when it comes to responding to our local emergencies, but these guys and gals also know how to throw one heck of a party. On a side note, for those not familiar, there are 6 Fire Districts throughout the Township of Parsippany, and District 5 is comprised of two Fire Stations that serve East Parsippany.
On Saturday, May 29 on my arrival at the Parsippany District #5 Fire Department, Station 2 (“The Grange”) on South Beverwyck Road I was impressed to see that arrangements were already in place to deal with the weather.
A large, tented area was constructed that easily accommodated the crowd; grills were smoking, DJ was cranking, and the volunteer firefighters, their families, friends, and associates were starting to gather in anticipation of a fun outing with fellow first responders, good friends, and lots of food. First Responders always know to have contingency plans in place for any given situation, so this thoughtful prior planning was no surprise. To keep the kids busy, a bouncy house was available indoors and it was well appreciated by some happy boys and girls.
The American BBQ Company, out of Denville, did a fantastic job of catering the event and put out enough food to feed an army. Lots and lots of the usual BBQ fare, including steak, spareribs, barbequed chicken, sausage, hot dogs, hamburgers, steamed clams, corn on the cob, pork and beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. Watermelon, cookies, and brownies served as desserts. If you left hungry, shame on you. The DJ, Chuck Chamalian, of Powerhouse Productions helped keep the event energized with a great selection of background music throughout the day.
All in all, it was a nice, fun-filled family event, with something for everybody. Despite the unusually cold weather, a few controlled fires were more than adequate to keep everyone comfortable, as many of the guys sat around enjoying a cigar or two and obviously discussing some, what appeared to be, particularly important matters. LOL.
Many attendees simply enjoyed gathering around the fires or bouncing from group to group as the afternoon progressed just to enjoy each other’s company. It was impressive to see the enthusiasm, energy, and camaraderie shared by this close-knit group of firefighters. Laughs and interesting stories were in no short supply.
Thank you to the members of District 5 for the invite and for their hospitality. It was a pleasure to be in the company of so many of our professionally trained, dedicated, selfless individuals who serve our community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, asking for nothing more than the opportunity to offer their assistance whenever the need arises. Your efforts and service are appreciated more than you know. Keep up the great work!
Parsippany District 5 Fire Department picnic/bbq was held at 200 South Beverwyck Road.
