The third annual Soup for Sirens, a fundraiser for the Albany Volunteer Fire Department, took place on Saturday, October 5, and this year was combined with a Touch a Truck event, in support of one of the AFD’s Ladies’ Auxiliary members, Sarah Winsett, who is battling breast cancer, according to Ivy Davis, President of the Ladies’ Auxiliary.
Sarah’s father, Rob Winsett, is a one of the Albany Fire Department’s firefighters.
The Soup for Sirens event normally takes place at the local fire department, but this year, the auxiliary wanted to do a little bit more and combined it with the Touch a Truck and held it at the Albany Elementary School.
“It was a great turnout with approximately 160-170 people in attendance, coming to enjoy some family fun,” Davis said. “We plan to continue this combination event in the future.”
Davis added they wanted to thank everyone for coming out and joining and supporting not only the local fire department, but Sarah as well. “In this family, no one fights alone,” she said.
“In our fire department family, we stand behind one another, supporting one another in anything that we may be enduring…those were the shirts that we were wearing in support of Sarah that day.”
Tyson Foods donated two giveaway prizes of two boxes of chicken, hot dogs, and water for the event, and the Fig Leaf Toys donated two different gift certificates as well. Save-A-Lot had donated hot dog buns.
“Our Ladies’ Auxiliary of the fire department had made vegetable soup, potato soup, and chili, as well as many desserts, and some snacks that were donated,”  said Davis, in reference to the Soup for Sirens portion of the event.
An upcoming event for the AFD is just around the corner, that being on Halloween night, Thursday, October 31, at the fire department building. The auxiliary will be passing out candy at the fire station located next to Twin Lakes Wellness Center.
“As of right now, our yearly events only consists of our Soup for Sirens event (to be combined in the future with the Touch a Truck), that we do every fall, and October 31 when we pass out candy to the local community of children,” she said.
“We do not currently have any other events that we do, but we are always in the works with new ideas and different things that we can bring into the community, as well as maintaining awareness and safety within the community,” Davis added.
Proceeds from the Albany Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary are used to support the fire department in various ways, including helping in funding equipment, such as turn-out gear required by all members and much more.
Donations to the Albany Fire Department can be made year-round by anyone wishing to support the department, which is made up of all volunteer members.
For more information on the AFD Ladies’ Auxiliary, or to make a donation to the fire department at any time, please contact Davis at 606-688-2938. All donations and support are greatly appreciated.

Sarah Winsett, center, is shown with several members of the Albany Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary in front of a Breast Cancer Awareness themed IMI concrete truck that was on display Saturday at Albany Elementary School.
The Ladies Auxiliary hosted the annual Soup for Sirens fundraiser and combined it with a Touch a Truck display that allowed the public to view several large trucks and equipment from the Albany and Clinton County area.
Proceeds from the event benefitted Winsett, whose father, Rob Winsett, is a long-time member of the AFD.