Rescue squad auxiliary celebrates half century of service in Middlesex

The Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad Auxiliary presented an open house Sunday at the rescue squad building in Deltaville to celebrate 50 years of the group’s service to the Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad and to honor past members and encourage new members to come out and join the group.

The auxiliary currently has about 24 active members and is the key organization that raises funds for MCVRS. Darlene Revere, a charter member, said Sunday at the open house that ladies from the Middlesex County Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary (MCVRSA) and the now defunct Central Middlesex County Volunteer Rescue Squad Auxiliary out of Urbanna came in 1975 and helped MCVRSA organize and establish its by-laws.

MCVRSA has raised millions of dollars in support of the rescue squad. The group recently donated $250,000 towards the purchase of the rescue squad building in Urbanna and provided most of the funding towards the purchase of the squad buildings in Deltaville and Hartfield.

Over the years, they have raised funds by offering bingo to the community, sponsored oyster and barbecue dinners, conducted fashion shows, beauty contests, bake sales, sponsored family portraits, sponsored the annual fundraiser letter campaign, and now the group owns and operates two thrift stores — “Bargains and Treasures Flea Market” in Deltaville and “2nd Time Around Thrift Shop” in Urbanna.

“Most of our members now are in their 60s and 70s,” she said. “We need younger volunteers to keep all of this going and the cost of everything is going up. The base price for an unequipped ambulance is $375,000 and just a stretcher for the ambulance is $40,000. When we buy a new equipped ambulance, it costs over $500,000.

“Today marks a truly special milestone, 50 years of volunteering, giving back and making a difference in countless lives across our county,” said Revere. “Being a part of all this has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life.”