Kempner VFD hosts barbecue and auction fundraiser

KEMPNER, Texas – Soaring gasoline prices and other spending during inflation is hurting everyone, especially local volunteer fire departments.

“In the last month, we’ve been making an average of over $500 per month for just one vehicle. That’s just fuel. Don’t count the rest,” said Joe Burkett, a Kempner volunteer firefighter.

Burkett said prices for equipment, repairs and other needed equipment are increasing.

“If something breaks, we need money to be able to fix the broken things. If they need us and we can’t get there with a vehicle when it’s broken, it’s broken,” Burkett said.

That’s why the department cooks brisket, chop onions and makes over 250 pounds of potato salad for their annual BBQ auction fundraiser.

“This is our largest annual fundraiser that we do. We use the money for [the] Graduating from the third station we inaugurated last weekend,” he said.

Burkett says it’s also a way of giving back to the community and sharing some of her famous brisket.

“This will be our second rebound year; The first rebound year was great. The first year we sold a brisket in four hours. There are people who stand on the street for over an hour trying to get brisket,” Burkett said.

He said that this year they prepared a little more beef for everyone. They will also auction furniture and other items.

The event begins at 1pm on Saturday and her auction begins at 3pm on Saturday at the Kempner VFD on Pecan Street.

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