Hundreds of people gathered Saturday night, Jan. 20, for Boots and Bullets, an annual event aimed at supporting the essential work of Dayton Volunteer Fire Department. The night included a grilled steak or chicken dinner, live music, and live and silent auctions.
With every table sold, it was evident that Dayton-area residents appreciate their fire department and they were more than willing to open up their pocketbooks and wallets to support the worthy cause. All totaled, the event raised an estimated $107,000, a record for an event that has been held for a decade.
The standout moment of the evening came with a lively bidding war for a unique piece of artwork, painted by Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Larry Wilburn. An unexpected rivalry erupted between Tammy Pratka of JLA Realty and State Representative Ernest Bailes, both evidently taken with Wilburn’s distinctive work. Sparks flew as bid after bid rang through the Civic Center until finally the prized painting found a home with JLA Realty, whose final bid of $4,300 cinched the victory.
For Pratka, there was a layer of sentimentality to the painting as her son, Wesley, and dog, Sadie Grace, are the subjects of the painting. The painting is based on a photo of Wesley and the dog from a duck-hunting trip in years past. Sadie Grace is no longer able to accompany Wesley on hunts due to her health. Pratka plans to hang the painting in Wesley’s office at JLA Realty in Dayton, which she says seems only right.
Though the bids crept up to a higher-than-anticipated range, Pratka said she does not mind as the donation goes toward a worthy cause.
Alvin Burress, one of the organizers of Boots and Bullets and a longtime Dayton firefighter, said that all money raised from the event goes toward providing equipment for firefighters or upkeeping the apparatus they use for firefighting. As an all-volunteer fire department with a limited budget, Dayton VFD relies on the success of the Boots and Bullets event every year.
In addition to Burress, the Boots and Bullets committee also includes Fire Chief Chad Glatdfelter and wife, Stormi, former fire chief Murphy Green, firefighters Drake Lerma and David Rodgers, John Coleman, Tamara Alexander, Jennifer Billings, and Amanda Wilson, director of the Dayton Community Center.
Dayton VFD has 33 volunteers on its roster. Last year, Dayton firefighters responded to 651 calls for service.
Reciting a well-known quote, Burress said, “Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”
