25th year for Dowell Fire Department BBQ

Dowell firefighters have purchased an extra 100 one-pound pork steaks for Saturday's annual fire department benefit barbecue and STILL plan to sell out.

That's what happened last year as the department raised over $10,000 to be able to purchase smoke detectors and batteries for the community and a unique firefighting "punch" nozzle that lets them ram a fire hose through the door or sidewall of a burning house to cool it down so firemen can enter safely.

It also helped fund the town's first-ever Family Night Out where 800 hot dogs were served to local kids and their families.

Serving will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and tickets are $8. You'll also get baked beans, cole slaw, chips, homemade desserts and a drink. The live auction and 50/50 drawing will follow.

There will also be a raffle for a Remington 870 Express combo shotgun and live auctions for things like a handmade picnic table, barbecue grills, a 40-inch television set, St. Louis Cardinals baseball tickets, St. Louis Blues hockey tickets, an outdoor yard light, power tools and oil changes.

The list goes on.

It's a great night as Haney Auction Service of Mulkeytown takes the bidding higher for a great cause.

Firefighters remember that the first benefit barbecue raised $1,300 toward the purchase of a fire truck to replace the department's old 1952 front-mounted pumper.

The department has come a long way since those days and is now one of the best equipped and best trained departments in Southern Illinois. Firefighters routinely work alongside Du Quoin, Pinckneyville and Tamaroa firefighters on large first response fire calls.

The charcoal is stacked high, and slow cooking the melt-in-your mouth steaks starts shortly after dawn.

You don't want to miss it.