By Taylor Boyd
The Woolwine Volunteer Fire Department will hold its 45th annual October Community Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 11, at the Woolwine Fire Department.
Admission is free.
Department member and President of the Ladies Auxiliary Connie Goode said the festival is the department’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
“We get a little bit of money from the county, but other than that,” the squad doesn’t receive funding. “We are not a paid staff or 100 percent supported by the county or the government, so this is how we pay for gas, diesel, training equipment, gear, and whatever we need,” she said.
Jordan T. Morrison & the Foothill Boys, Larry Sigmon & the Virginia Girls, and the Friday Night Band are each set to perform twice at the festival.
Food like hot dogs, chicken BBQ sandwiches, fried apple pies, desserts, beverages, and apple butter will be available for purchase.
Craft vendors are welcome to set up for free. “They just need to be there and set up by 10 a.m.,” she said.
Goode said members and interested volunteers will start the process of making its apple butter on October 8.
“We peel 200 bushels of apples on the 8th. It’s an all-day event,” she said.
Since old-fashioned apple peelers are used, Goode said the process is pretty fast.
“We just need people to help us core them and cut them up and stuff. It’s a lot of fun. Your hands get tired, your fingers get stained, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said.
Several of the apple peelers were donated to the department by members of the community.
Goode said the preparation day also serves as a kind of community get-together as many people get to see neighbors they don’t see every day, despite living in the same community.
Lunch will be provided as a thank you to the volunteers.
The cooking of the first kettles of apple butter will start on Thursday, October 9, around 4 a.m.
“They are going to do 14 kettles this year. It’ll be two runs of seven kettles and then once they come off and we get them canned and everything, they’ll start the next seven again,” she said.
Goode said she hopes the entire cooking process will be completed by 7 p.m. on Friday, October 10.
Approximately 360 gallons of apple butter will be made, dependent “on the apples. It depends on the weather, it depends on how juicy the apples are, how dry the apples are, and the humidity will make a difference. One year, you might get 350 gallons, and the next year you’ll get close to 400 gallons,” she said.
Goode said the department usually sells out of the tasty fall treat.
“We have been very blessed. Our community and neighbors and friends and family have always supported us,” she said.
While apple butter will be sold at the festival, because of its popularity, Goode said a pre-purchase list is available for those who want to ensure they get a jar. To get on the list, contact any member of the department or visit its Facebook page at Facebook.com/WoolwineVolunteerFireDepartment.
For more information, call Goode at (276) 229-8241.
