Johnny Williams
Freelance Journalist

Talisman Energy gives back to the community with a donation to Little Meadows Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad to help build their new fire station and community hall.

Little Meadows is a small community that had a big dream. A dream big enough that it was thought to be at least a decade down the line; big enough that some thought it may never come to fruition at a time for them to see it. The town’s nearly 60 year old fire station served it as well as it could. However, its small plot left no room for expansion despite the fire company’s coverage expanding to 83 square miles, its energy inefficiency drove up operating costs and it was not accessible to the disabled.

Last year, that dream took a significant step forward when Talisman Energy stepped forward to commit $350,000 to the new fire station over a three year period.

“We have been in dire need of a new facility for years, and this donation will help make it a reality,” the fire company’s Charles Darrow said last year.

And a reality it is fast becoming, as the Little Meadows Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new fire station and community hall on the sunny afternoon of June 7. Members of the community and elected officials came out to mark the occasion and see firsthand the progress that has been made.

“Life is good,” Leo Purtell of the fire company said. “We are making a huge step today and with Talisman being a huge partner, they have made it possible. The community help has been outrageous; everyone has helped. Our local churches, fundraisers,  Act 13 funds, Williams, Citizens and Northern Bank, all of this is going towards something that will boost our community.”

“Talisman Energy is pleased to be able to help the Little Meadows community achieve this goal,” Talisman spokesperson Amy Gilbert said. “Supporting important, meaningful projects is valuable to us and we give a huge amount of credit to the Building Committee for making this project a reality.”

“This project has been a long time coming,” Little Meadows Mayor Burt Baldwin said. “Our original founders would be proud.”

The new $875,000 fire station will also operate as a training area and community center, providing a venue for which local events can be held. It will be large enough for six vehicles and be ready to expand in the future if needed.

Susquehanna County Commissioner MaryAnn Warren and State Representative Tina Pickett stressed the importance of the new fire station in that without the volunteers’ dedication and sacrifice to ensure the safety of the rural communities, living there would not be possible. However, the true significance of the project hit home when Fire Company President Mary Shaughnessy grew emotional when thanking the community for its generosity.

“A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough to describe the phenomenal help we’ve received,” she said. “The objects this project faced seemed insurmountable and now we can see the light and I know the community will see this through to the end.

“We will give back a great building that will allow us to continue providing important emergency services as well as a space the community can actually use and enjoy,” Shaughnessy added.

Fire Company President Mary Shaughnessy.

Building Committee Member Dave McGuigan noted that the gas industry helped the project in more ways than direct donations.

“The industry has done wonders for our community,” he said. “We have received thousands in private donations, and we feel a big part of this is from our local community members receiving additional money from natural gas leases and royalties, giving them a greater ability to grow this project.

“However, we still need public support,” McGuigan continued. “We need more volunteers in our emergency department and we will still hold community events and fundraisers.”

Members of the Little Meadows Building Committee.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and for more information on how to help, Leo Purtell or Alan Chase may be contacted at lpurtell1@hotmail.com or awchase@cableracer.com, respectively. Donations can be made payable to LMVFC&RS Building Fund and sent to the Building Committee, Little Meadows Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad, PO Box 329, Little Meadows, PA 18830-0345.