The Cass County Fireman’s Association serves lunch and dinner at the Cass County Fairgrounds. The association took over the former Cass County Pork Producers building five years ago. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

Firefighters prepare food for fairgoers

When the Cass County Pork Producers were no longer able to continue selling food at the fair, fittingly, the Cass County Fireman’s Association came to the rescue.

Five years ago firefighters from Cassopolis, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, Howard Township, Indian Lake, Marcellus, Newberg Township, Pokagon, Porter Township, Penn Township, Wayne Township, Sister Lakes, Niles Charter Township and the Cass County Emergency Management decided to try their hands at feeding the masses.

It has worked out well according to Edwardsburg’s Paul Harris, a captain with the fire department.

“They basically just gave us everything in here,” Harris said. “The fair still owns the building, but we own everything in here.”

The Cass County Fireman’s Association has been around for more than 50 years. With the workforce — firefighters — already in place, it was just a matter of coming together as a group to create a great fundraising effort.

Harris said that year after year he sees a lot of the same faces coming through the door. Many of them began eating in the bright red building back when the pork producers owned it.

“We try to keep our prices family friendly,” Harris said. “A lot of people come to the fair for the food. I think our niche is we are family friendly and our prices reflect that.”

One of the toughest jobs the firefighters face during fair week is getting enough people to work every day, as they are all volunteers.

“It takes six to eight of us to work the supper crowd,” Harris said.

The best part of working during fair week is the camaraderie among the various departments.

“We take turns as departments working up here, but a lot of times there is a hodgepodge of people here, meaning two people from one department and three people from another,” Harris said. “It is good for the different departments to work together and get to know each other.

“Volunteer departments work pretty well together out of necessity, but Edwardsburg might not work with Marcellus or Sister Lakes might not work with Porter, so it is nice to come together here.”

All money raised during the fair all goes towards training.

“We have different programs and bring in national speakers in the fire service or we will have some sort of joint training with the funds raised several times a year and every department is welcome,” Harris said.

Hungry fairgoers can choose from a variety of sandwiches, including pork chop and pulled pork, hot dogs, side dishes and deserts from the Farmhouse Bakery in Vandalia.

Even a root beer float and Slush Puppies are available for consumption.