Holiday fair will raise money to renovate kitchen at Quincy Point fire station
QUINCY − For firefighters in Quincy Point, the station's kitchen is the ultimate place to socialize.
It's a small, cramped space, but it's the center of activity for the 16 people who take turns manning the Washington Street station, which first opened in 1941.
"It's the morning place to break bread. The guys have coffee here between shifts and catch each other up," Capt. Jim Cosgrove said. "A lot of information, a lot of opinions, a lot of the world's issues get solved in this room. ... As you can see, we could use the help."
Since it first opened more than 80 years ago, little has been done to the station's kitchen, except for a few new appliances. Early next month, members of the Quincy Point Congregational Church and the public will raise money for a renovation project to upgrade the space as a way to say "thank you" for keeping the community safe.
"It was really quite shocking," the Rev. Kimberly Murphy said of her tour of the station's kitchen. "They were just so happy someone was going to do something to make it more comfortable, a place they feel like they can relax and be themselves."
The Sleigh Bells Fair will be a two-day affair starting Friday, Dec. 2. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. concert featuring the teachers and students of the South Shore Children's Chorus and the South Shore Piano School, which uses the church as a practice space.
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The fair will be open again from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, with raffle baskets, a silent auction and a bakery. Booths selling goods will include Doug & Ellen's Toys, DD's knit hats, Cards by Carole and Evergreen Wreaths.
The church has already raised almost $2,000 for what organizers have dubbed the Engine 3 "kitchen makeover" through the donations of individuals and Quincy Point businesses. The Sleigh Bells Fair is a tradition for the church and has always raised money for local causes. Last year, the Clifford Marshall and Point Webster schools were each given $3,000 to buy musical instruments for students.
"Before, we would take the money from the fair and give a little to this group and a little to that group, but when we came back after COVID, we thought, 'Let's focus on our Quincy Point area and the organizations that do a lot here,'" Murphy said.
Church members don't have a particular dollar amount in mind, but Murphy said they hope to address the kitchen's counters, cabinets and refrigerator, as well as the flooring and any electrical work that needs to be done. The dishwasher and stove were replaced relatively recently, and someone has already donated a sink and faucet to the cause.
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Engine 3 provides mutual aid to Weymouth and covers several of Quincy's largest buildings, including 1000 Southern Artery, Faxon Commons and 250 Washington St., as well as the Fore River Bridge.
"While it's not first in the largest land area, we get a lot of calls and it's just getting busier," Cosgrove said, adding that it's nice to be appreciated by the community the station services. "We have a lot of high-rises in our area and, like most of Quincy, it's growing."
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Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Holiday fair to help renovate Quincy Point fire station kitchen
