'Old Timers Night' honors Libby's volunteer firefighters
Fire Chief Tom Wood, right, gets butter for his roll as Firefighter Neil Benson, left, looks on. (John Blodgett/The Western News)
Retired firefighters, from left, Gary Swenson, Ken Preston,Terry Bennett and Dick Wood enjoy one another’s company. Bennett is still active as secretary of the Rural Fire Board. (John Blodgett/The Western News)
Retired firefighters attend the annual barbecue. They are from right to left: Dick Wood (yellow hat), Ken Preston, Dick Dutton and, on the other side of table, George Wood and Gary Swenson. (John Blodgett/The Western News)
A firefighters’ barbecue isn’t complete without an old-time fire engine. (John Blodgett/The Western News)
Libby Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday evening held its annual “Old Timers Night” barbecue at Firemans Park in Libby. Fire Chief Tom Wood said that the department has been holding the event on the last Thursday in July for about 30 years. “(It’s) just a night of ‘r and r’ for our guys and a fun time to honor those who have served LVFD, most for 20 years or more,” Wood said. In addition to one another’s company, the firefighters enjoyed eating mushrooms ladled atop huge cuts of meat, playing some volleyball and reminiscing about fires fought past and present.