HOT? It was one of the hottest days on record - that July 18, 1961. A meeting had been called of all the residents of the Bay Leaf Community to meet at the Recreation Club to organize a volunteer fire department. Ever since 1959, some of the men from the community had served as firemen with the Stony Hill Volunteers, but the need was growing for a separate department on "this side of the river" [today the river is gone, replaced by Falls Lake].

Stony Hill’s fire chief, Owen Ray, met with us and offered all possible support from that department. Agreements were made to draw up new boundaries with our taking some of the area, which was then protected by Stony Hill. The river would be the line. A Steering Committee volunteered to make preliminary plans. We would meet again July 25.

July 25 - it’s still hot but there’s work to be done! We began. Meeting frequently throughout the fall of 1961 a great deal was accomplished. Boundaries were established; officers were elected; equipment was listed; we had housed one of Stony Hill’s trucks at Ollie Holiday’s [today next to Station No.1] and the name on this was changed to "Bay Leaf "; we were

incorporated by the first Board of Directors (L. H. Davis, Ollie Holliday, Irvin Jackson, Bill Parker, and George Norwood); and the first officers were named by the Board (George Lobinger, Chief; John Grimes, Assistant Chief; Ed Grice and Bill Parker, Captains; Hazel Bailey, Treasurer; and Susan Lobinger. Secretary).

Membership dues were set at $10 per household per year; the Wake County Board of Commissioners appropriated $100 a month to the support of this project. Most of the first money went for the fire horn in September of that first year. We needed money!

Beginning a tradition still in existence until only a few years ago, - an addition was added to the annual bazaar which had supported the recreation club for years. Part of the proceeds from this bazaar would go to the support of the fire department. A profit of $944 was realized from the sale of raffle tickets for a 1956 Plymouth automobile that first Christmas. A used truck was purchased and built into a pumper. This "every night of the week" work by the men resulted in the formation of another club dedicated to supporting the needs of the department - "the WOLF Club" - Widows Of Living Firemen.

Next Page>>>