Patricia Beagle
Contributing Writer
Thirty energetic members of the Chautauqua Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary support the brave men and women of Chautauqua Volunteer Fire Department throughout the year. Some are spouses of firefighters, and others are simply motivated to serve the community.
Auxiliary President Amy Snyder, an 18-year member, explained that the Auxiliary’s mission is to assist CVFD members whenever possible and to assist the community in times of disaster. Members must live within the 17.5-square-mile fire district for more than six months of the year. “They are also required to help with at least half of the Auxiliary’s events,” Snyder said — and some of their work is unscheduled. “When there is a fire, we make sandwiches and bring food and drinks for the firefighters.”
The Auxiliary does extensive fundraising to help the CVFD to purchase firefighting and emergency care equipment. During the Summer Assembly Season, the Auxiliary holds chicken barbecues every other Sunday — in 2024, those four Auxiliary-run barbecues brought in $15,000, Snyder said — and they help with the five Sunday barbecues run by the CVFD.
“The firefighters need backup for their barbecues because they could be called to an emergency at any moment,” Snyder said.
Mary Houstead, a 17-year member, leads the Auxiliary’s chicken fundraisers. She has the tricky job of deciding how many dinners to order for each one.
“I look at the weather, what’s happening on the grounds, and I talk to people to find out how the bookings are,” she said. “I ended up doing this job because nobody could make a decision about how much chicken to order. I can decide, and I am usually spot on.”
As members prepared for the final Auxiliary barbecue of the summer, held last weekend, they laughed when asked what has changed over the years. Some told stories about the old days when the dinners were less frequent, and women had to pluck the remains of feathers from raw chickens.
“The women used to boil chickens and then the men barbecued them,” Diane Gleason remembered. “(Vice President) Marilyn Scarpino’s mother used to make the potato salad.”
Houstead recalled that the late Carolyn Murray, a past president, used to stir up business by walking around in a chicken costume.
“Thankfully, the location of that costume is unknown,” she sighed — Murray had expected Houstead to be the next chicken mascot.
These days, the Auxiliary uses signs to publicize the fundraisers, but the best advertisement for the barbecues may be the enticing aroma that blankets the grounds well before noon on Sundays. Known for their delicious marinade, Chiavetta’s Barbecue prepares the chicken on site. An experienced Chiavetta’s grill specialist named Mike explained that each half-chicken portion weighs 1.5 pounds. Once the charcoal is hot, he can cook 500 pieces in two hours.
A line of hungry Chautauquans forms 30 minutes before dinners start flying out the door at 11:30 a.m. Chautauquans Harvey and Barbara Feldman have a strategy of arriving early, because the front of the line is in the shade. They come every Sunday, and last year purchased fire blankets to support the Auxiliary, as well. Jerry O’Connor of South Carolina raved about the marinade: “The chicken at home is not as good. Here, they do it right. It’s pretty incredible.”
Meanwhile, a kitchen assembly-line team of eight fills cardboard clamshells with chicken, baked beans, coleslaw and rolls. CVFD member Doug Ireland helps the Auxiliary every week. He has the special role of bringing cartloads of hot chicken from the grill to the kitchen.
“By the end of the season,” he confided, “I can’t look at another chicken!”
Outdoors, an Auxiliary front-line team sells the dinners along with CVFD bags, T-shirts and fire blankets. Two kitchen runners restock the front lines with steaming hot meals. This well-oiled machine can sell 500 dinners within 90 minutes.
The Auxiliary keeps busy with fundraising activities throughout the year. Each May, members prepare homemade baked goods, jams and other treats. On Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, the group holds its bake sale on the porch of the Colonnade. Favorite finds include Sylvia Faust’s chocolate chip cookies, Scarpino’s delicious pies, and unusual sweets crafted by Michele Jones and Diane Gleason.
In October, the Auxiliary celebrates National Make a Difference Day through a fund drive for the Mayville food pantry. Members collect thousands of dollars each year by asking friends and neighbors to support the effort. Cash donations allow the pantry to make bulk purchases of most-needed items.
Every December, the Auxiliary decorates the Fire Hall for the holidays, complete with wreaths, lights, a Christmas tree and an eye-catching firefighter Santa suit handmade by member Carol Minnerly. They generously sponsor one or two families within the fire district by providing wrapped gifts and gift cards to Tops Friendly Markets to ensure a memorable holiday dinner.
The Auxiliary’s famous annual Christmas bazaar draws patrons from across the region to the Fire Hall on the first Friday and Saturday in December. Scarpino, who runs the fundraiser, proudly shared that the 2024 event raised $9,000 in support of the CVFD.
The bazaar is a spectacular place to shop for bargain-priced unique artwork, craft items, decorations, housewares, home furnishings, jewelry, books and puzzles. Offerings include new and gently used quality clothing, one-of-a-kind treasures and gift certificates donated by Chautauqua Institution. In addition, the bazaar includes another mouth-watering Auxiliary bake sale.
Faust, a past organizer of the bazaar, said that various area businesses and generous individuals donate lovely gift baskets, and shoppers can take chances on favorite items by purchasing basket raffle tickets.
Many hands join the effort to obtain, sort and price bazaar donations, and the Auxiliary is already collecting items for this year’s event. (To make a donation, contact any Auxiliary member. All proceeds support the CVFD.)
What motivates these tireless volunteers to provide so much service? For 15-year volunteer Marsha Butler, “it is a joy, and it helps Chautauqua. I love the camaraderie and being a part of it.” Shirley LaMancuso, who has been volunteering for 22 years, said that “you not only help the firemen, you also help the community.” Mary Ugoletti, whose husband is a firefighter, has been involved for three years. “I love it,” she said. “It is a nice year-round community of friends.”
Houstead shared words that echoed the sentiments of so many members: “I just love the community the Auxiliary provides, the camaraderie, the hard work and fun. What a dedicated group they are — so supportive of the whole community inside and outside the grounds! … The one thing I can’t give up is the fire auxiliary. If somebody needs something, we put a chain out there, and it gets done.”
