Apple Blossom 2019 Wrap Up

A group of the ODHFS folks in the Northern Region who coordinate and plan Apple Blossom each year met to “debrief” our 2019 event that was held on May 4th. I am impressed with this team that looks at ways to improve and streamline our biggest Northern Region event each year.

For the 2020 Apple Blossom event, you will be seeing a variety of communications and reminders. In a nutshell:

• Apple Blossom 2020 is Friday, May 1, 2020
• Check in and Judging: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
• Judging Closes: 12:30 pm
• Drivers Meeting and awards ceremony: 2:00 pm
• Antiques depart for downtown via Virginia State Police Escort: 2:30 pm

We need help…..

We have a group of folks who have been helping with set up, registration, judging, etc. Thank you! This help has been tremendous, however more folks volunteering would continue to help those already helping and streamline the process. Two key areas of help:

1. Judging apparatus – if you have judged in the past, we need you again. If you would like to help judging, we need additional help.
2. Parking of antiques – we could use additional help in assisting with the staging/parking of the antique apparatus at the schools on Friday.

The Apple Blossom team will be reaching out again for help in these areas. If you have not helped in the past and can do so, let me know and I will ensure that your contact information gets to the appropriate person.

Parade Coordinator:

Still looking for someone to help with communicating our Northern Region area parades. Here is the information from last month’s update email:

“I could certainly use the help of one of our Northern Region team members in coordinating parade and muster information for our Northern region. This is a good way to get involved. Throughout the year, we receive parade and muster information within our Northern region that we need to share. Here is how I envision the process would work:

1. The ODHFS club or one of our members receives information about a local event – parade, “Touch a Truck”, muster, etc. Normally, that information would be provided by the club itself, myself, or others in the Northern Region that receive the request.
2. That information is forwarded to our Northern Region Event Coordinator who ensures that Jack Sullivan (webmaster) has the information for our ODHFS calendar on the web page. In addition, the coordinator creates a basic email communication and forwards that information to Mike Sanders (that’s me) for communication. Mike forwards this information to Northern Region members because he has the ever changing list of names and email addresses for our Northern Region, and trust me, it changes frequently with new members, email address changes, etc.

Overall, the Northern Region Event Coordinator is just summarizing and preparing a brief communication for our members about the event.

Interested? Give it a try – please let me know by contacting me via email at mnsand@visuallink.com.”

Farmville, VA muster

Another key ODHFS club event during the year is the Farmville muster. I want to make sure everyone has the information. Passing along information from Floyd Greene from the Central Region:

• 9/28/19 ODHFS Annual Muster Farmville, VA More Information about the specifics of the Muster will be out soon. The automated registration link to sign up both apparatus and members/guests is available at www.odhfs.org/custom.html?id=24099 . The link is also on the ODFHS Website front page labeled "ODHFS Muster Registration" located on the left column. OR You can register by emailing or calling me FloydPowhatan@gmail.com 804-347-9016.

CVVFA – First time muster

Hancock, Maryland Muster – Coming up fast on August 3^rd is the first ever antique fire muster being held in conjunction with the Cumberland Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association (CVVFA) convention. The muster is being held in Hancock, Maryland. Hancock is 50 minutes (37miles) from Winchester. I communicated this recently via email, although I have heard from several that it was not received. Attaching that email with all of the information to this email.

IMPORTANT: use www.odhfs.org as your resource for ODHFS information, including our ODHFS meetings, parades, and other events. Click on the “Calendar” for updates.

Help needed.!!!!!!

We have a new member of ODHFS that has just acquired a 1931 Chev./ALF fire truck with unknown history. It was in a barn owned by an auctioneer outside of Warrenton, Va. The auctioneer bought it at an auction ? years ago. There is no ALF registered # plate on it but I have confirmed it is an ALF built rig.

We need help in identifying where this rig made have been in service. AND in acquiring any known history of photos that may exist.

Any & all info appreciated – see attached photo. If you have info please contact President - Tom Herman - (804) 590-1239

Thanks,
Northern Region Director - Mike Sanders - (571) 217-7246