Courtesy photos Nearly 100 people attended the second annual Saguache Volunteer Fire Department Fire and Ice benefit celebration on Sunday, Dec. 31. People ate a hearty dinner, enjoyed the country music of the local group Kicker, and took part in a silent auction. Saguache Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kendal Adolph, left, awarded Zack Joyner with the department’s Firefighter of the Year honor during the Fire and Ice celebration on Dec. 31 in Saguache.

SAGUACHE — Nearly 100 people attended the second annual Saguache Volunteer Fire Department Fire and Ice benefit celebration on Sunday, Dec. 31.

The celebration is a fundraiser for the Saguache Volunteer Fire Department. The event was kid friendly.

Members of the fire department wore firefighter button up shirts and blue jeans. There were tables and chairs spread out in the Saguache Community Building where the celebration was held. People ate a hearty dinner, enjoyed the country music of the local group Kicker, and took part in a silent auction.

Fire department member Jeff Phillips and Chief Kendal Adolph spoke about the history of the event and how it helps the department.

“What we do is use these funds to buy things we need for our station,” Phillips said. “After 2020 and COVID, we felt like there was a void, the dance hadn't been here. For whatever reason it just hadn't taken place in a long time, but it used to be here. We had a meeting and amongst all of us we decided we wanted to bring it back. We wanted to bring it a step above though. We've had a dinner, and we had a silent auction and we also brought in the best local music we could find. It's been great. The community needed this as much as we do.”

Phillips said they appreciate all the support from the community.

“We cannot thank the community enough. Without the community, we couldn't do this,” Phillips said. “This is a big deal. We had the firefighters here from all the different districts, Center, Hooper, Mosca, they came in. We had two helicopters come in. Those guys came and supported us too. We can't thank them enough."

Chief Adolph said the 12-person fire department had 1,470 man-hours of 911 calls in 2023. They also had 552 hours of training hours.

“This is our way of thanking the community by holding this, and this is their way of thanking us by being here," Adolph said.

The department also handed out awards. Warren Collin was named officer of the year. Firefighter of the Year was Zack Joyner.

The Saguache Volunteer Fire Department thanked everyone for attending, the local businesses that donated to the silent auction and its event sponsors.