By Dixon Bledsoe
If Mike Dahlberg’s secret honey-smoked savory ham doesn’t pack record crowds into the 13th annual Silverton Volunteer Firefighter Association’s Mother’s Day breakfast, perhaps the hot and syrupy buttermilk pancakes, fresh fruit and farm-fresh eggs will do the trick.
If you are looking for a way to treat your mom to a delicious breakfast – without having to do the cooking or washing the dishes – this is one way to do it on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12.
The breakfast is 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Silverton Rural Fire Protection District’s main station, 819 Rail Way NE. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for moms and children 5-12; four and younger eat free.
A 13-year volunteer at the event, Bernie Palmer describes the preparation for the breakfast as “quite a production.”
“There is a ton of prep work and lots of bits and pieces to do,” Palmer said. “Fortunately, we have lots of help from the new Boy Scouts of America Explorer Post 400 headed by Rick Heuchert.”
Heuchert will also be working the recruiting angle, as the association is always looking for new volunteer firefighters and emergency service personnel. Recruiting is a big part of the day, but the attention is directed to moms.
The breakfast tables are decorated with bouquets of tulips, donated by the Wooden Shoe Tulip Co. At the end of the breakfast, the tulips are given to the firefighters, who will give them to their moms or spouses.
Tickets for drawing for a ride to in-district schools on a fire truck will be sold for $1 each or six tickets for $5. Kids of all ages will be encouraged to climb on trucks, get guided tours, and enjoy both a great breakfast and morning with mom.
Sarah Smith and Joann Tyler are the co-chairs of the event. Average attendance is 300 to 400 people during the six hours.
Describing the breakfast as a great time, Smith said the event isn’t a fundraiser for the association.
“This event isn’t specifically to raise money, but to say ‘thank you’ to our community and show our support,” Smith said. “Any proceeds that we make eventually go back into the community by supporting kids, swim teams, wrestlers, camp scholarships, other activities and community groups. We don’t use the money for us.”
Palmer said it is truly a community function with St. Paul’s Catholic Church lending its chairs, Mike Kohl getting the tents and tables and “and a lot of great volunteers help put it all together Saturday so Sunday is ready to go.”
“This breakfast wouldn’t be possible without the support from our community, those who generously donate to us and all our volunteers… especially our 13-year veterans of the breakfast: Bob Klaus, Mike Dahlberg, Bernie Palmer, Mike Jensen, Jerry Shiffer and Jesse Hulett,” Smith said.
“Our fire district is currently made up of 64 volunteers and includes firefighters, emergency service personnel and support services,” Smith said. “We are always looking for new recruits.”
The fire station is fully ADA accessible, and credit cards will be accepted this year. And while moms will be treated to a delicious breakfast, please kindly remind all moms that they won’t be leaving with the recipe to the ham’s secret sauce. That is kept a secret to make attendence a yearly tradition.
