In February, a fire was ravaging a home on Delaware Avenue in the borough of Olyphant. Local fire companies responded to rescue occupants and extinguish the fire.
While still in progress, a member of the fire company was dispatched to a local business to secure drinks for the firefighters, who were doing their work as volunteers to help their fellow citizens. The fireman requested liquid for the involved firemen, but was not given the traditional gratitude freebies to the first responders, as is considered normal for putting their lives in peril.
After learning of this refusal, the lodge Brothers of Kingsbury Masonic Lodge No. 466 on Delaware Avenue in Olyphant, just up the street from the burning house, discussed this incident. They were astounded and dismayed at the negative response of action by the business’ employee, and gathered ideas on how this refusal to show compassion can be changed.
The members of Kingsbury Lodge decided to purchase a pallet of plastic bottled water, which contains 84 cases. Each case has 24 plastic bottles. These cases were taken to Eureka Hose Company on Grant Street in Olyphant on May 21 for all five fire companies within Olyphant Borough to secure an equal division of the pallet amount for their stations and carry liquid with them when they are called for a fire emergency.
The stations around Olyphant dispatched a member from each station to Eureka and then proceeded to take their share of the pallet amount back to their respective stations.
Representatives from all Olyphant fire companies and Kingsbury Lodge representatives gather at Eureka Hose Company for the delivery and distribution of bottled water. (Submitted)
Those dispatched for this distribution included: Borough fire Chief Ed Woytach; Excelsior Hose Company 1 firefighter John Peterson; Olyphant Hose Company 2 firefighter Charles Davey Jr.; Eureka Hose Company 4 firefighters Rich Wagner and Eric Hartshorn; Liberty Hose Company 6 firefighter Phillip Ferrese and Queen City Hose Company 8 firefighter David Uhrin. Jeff Kranitsky, an employee of Quinn’s Market in Archbald, secured the pallet of water for the Kingsbury Lodge members’ gift. The water-delivering members from Kingsbury Lodge were Mike Goyne, past master and current worshipful master of Kingsbury for 2026; Dave Comstock, a master mason; Robert Walker, six-time past master, and Bill Vargas, a two-time past master and lodge historian.
The Kingsbury Masonic Lodge No. 466 also delivered a pallet of bottled water to the fire stations of Dickson City and Throop to quench their thirst when called out to address fire emergencies in their respective areas. The three stations — Dickson City Station 23, Throop Hose Company No. 1 and Throop Volunteer Hose Company No. 3 — divided up the pallet of water of 84 cases, where each station received 28 cases of water.
Representatives from Dickson City Station 23, Throop Hose Company No. 1 and Throop Volunteer Hose Company No. 3 gather with Kingsbury Lodge representatives for the delivery and distribution of bottled water. (Submitted)
Those receiving the gift from Kingsbury Lodge that were dispatched from their respective stations were: Joe and Rich Chowanec and Will Bilinski of Dickson City Fire Department; Dave Comstock (a master mason of Kingsbury Lodge), Ron Green and Charles Davey Sr. of Throop Station No. 1, and Alex Shattin of Throop Volunteer Station No. 3. Members of Kingsbury Lodge delivering the water were Mike Goyne, past master and worshipful master; Bob Walker, six-time past master; Bob Wilson, past master; John DePrimo, secretary and two-time past master; Bill Vargas, two-time past master and Bob Muncie, senior warden.