You or your company or group can help get a $200,000 grant for a pumper truck for our Volunteer Fire Department! Send in your pledges NOW, this week. Send notice of your pledges to pumperpledge@westroane.com, then donate by Paypal at westroane.com or by mail to P.O. Box 417 in Rockwood.

We here in Roane County are presented with an immediate opportunity, but must act quickly (literally in the next few days).

The West Roane community is growing and our firefighters are short of equipment too often. To help fix this problem, our West Roane County VFD (westroane.com) is in the process of applying for a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (http://www.firegrantsupport.com/) to purchase a much-needed new PUMPER TRUCK. West Roane could receive as much as $200,000 to $230,000.

The reason for the hurry is that the grant application is due in about a week, no later than April 4, 2008. Also, federal fire-related funding may be drying up in future years so this application, this week, is West Roane County's best chance at securing these funds.

Our West Roane VFD has been advised that the grant application will be much more attractive to FEMA if it includes a list of corporate and organizational pledges. (Individual pledges are good too!) This is why West Roane VFD is asking us for pledges for this specific purpose. Community support is an important factor in procuring this grant.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant is a matching grant; West Roane VFD must pay 5% of the total cost of the equipment. In other fund-raising efforts, West Roane VFD is also vigorously pursuing donations to provide the 5% portion of the cost of the pumper truck.

If you could possibly make a pledge to support this effort, it would be most appreciated.

Groups and individuals making pledges should send money now, not later as was earlier reported. Your pledge will be specifically for this much needed appsratus and this particular grant.

Also, please let West Roane VFD know if you want a refund in the case this grant does not go through. Otherwise pledges will be saved for the next grant.

How to Pledge:

To pledge by postal mail: Send a letter with the above information to WRCVFD, P.O. Box 417, Rockwood, TN 37854.

To pledge by credit card or Paypal: Donate using the Paypal Donate button at the top of every page at westroane.com. To let the VFD know this donation is a pumper truck pledge and not a normal donation, also send notice of your pledge by email:

Send email to pumperpledge@westroane.com with the following information:

1. name of the pledging company, organization, group, person, or even Sunday School class
2. postal address
3. phone
4. contact person
5. contact email
6. and the amount you are sending in by check or Paypal.

Note that this special pledge would be in addition to your regular Spring Donation; the West Roane Spring Mail-out Request for Donations will be mailed out soon.

PLEASE HELP THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HELP YOU!

For details, see the West Roane VFD web site at westroane.com or contact:

• Chief Redwine - westroane @ comcast.net
• Charlie Mead 354-1993 - mead136 @ msn.com
• Chris 354-1500 - Webmaster @ WestRoane.com

Thanks for your interest and support. Don't let this great chance pass West Roane by.

SEND IN YOUR PLEDGE NOW! And tell your friends and neighbors.