BRENHAM FIRE DEPT. RAISES AROUND $62,000 AT FIREMAN’S FIESTA

  

The Fireman’s Training Center in Brenham was full this weekend with supporters of the Brenham Fire Department as they came out for the 56^th Annual Fireman’s Fiesta.

The annual fundraiser featured games on Saturday with a pitch tournament and cornhole tournament, followed on Sunday by the signature sirloin steak and sausage meal.  Close to 1,800 meal tickets were sold, including about 1,100 for the to-go line and the remainder for dine-in.  There were also 28 teams that signed up for the pitch tournament and 39 entries in the cornhole tournament.

According to Brenham Fire Department Volunteer Assistant Chief Stephen Draehn, the event is estimated to have raised in the range of $62,000 - $63,000.  That is made up of rough totals of $8,300 from the meal, $13,500 in ticket sales from a prize drawing, and $40,000 in an auction with over 50 items.

Draehn says while the event has evolved and taken different shape over the years, the support from the public, local businesses and community volunteers has remained strong.

The next fundraiser for the fire department will be its New Year’s Eve dance, followed by its fish fry in the spring.  Draehn hopes the fish fry will be able to occur around the time of the opening of the department’s new fire station.