Brownsville coordinates community day with firefighter open house
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Brownsville’s community sales day on Sept. 4 marks the return of a popular smalltown event.
One of the highlights is the open house at the South-West Oxford Fire & Emergency Services’ Brownsville station on Culloden Line.
“The Brownsville firefighters usually have their open house in June, and they show people around, but unfortunately Covid stopped that,” said Brownsville’s Lavern Zietsoff.
On Sept. 4, the firefighters will be open their doors to the public for an open house next to the community centre starting at 7 a.m.
“They’re going to have refreshments and they’re going to serve hot dogs for a small donation,” said Zietsoff. “If people want to give, they can. If they don’t, they’ll still get a hot dog.
“The firefighters are really great, they let the kids get up in the machines. It’s kind of a fun day for everybody.”
There will be no boot drive this year, but if you’ve got a hankering for hot dogs, they will be serving them bright and early.
“They said they’re going to start that early – they’ll have them going (at 7 a.m.). I said, ‘hot dogs for breakfast?’”
Funds raised will go to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.
“The firefighters, men and women, really do a lot for the community. We have to thank them very much because they look after it really well.”
There will also be a craft/vendor show at the Brownsville Community Centre from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. featuring two food trucks outside in the parking lot, and many vendors inside and outside. So make sure you stop by after or before visiting the fire station.
On the same day, Saturday, Sept. 4, Brownsville residents will be putting things out for sale – also at 7 a.m.
“We have a really broad area where people come from. We’ve had people coming from Toronto to Windsor and it’s really a large event. They are always very well attended,” said Zietsoff.
“Everyone’s going to have their stuff ready at 7 o’clock and we’re not going to have a stop time. When people are still coming, we’re going to be here.”
Zietsoff is hesitant to call it a community yard sale day.
“It is and it isn’t,” she said, noting she will have four people selling stuff from her yard.
“There’s a mix of old and new. They have antiques, they have new stuff, homemade things, baking and jams, and of course all sorts of household items and appliances.”
Zietsoff said she is considering offering cold drinks at her yard sale.
She will also have two tables dedicated to raising funds for Cycles of Life, which feeds and clothes the homeless and anyone else in need.
The community yard sales are expected to extend about a half km north on Culloden Line, about the same east and west on Brownsville Road, and just over 1 km south on Culloden Line.
“The area of the sale is very, very large. There’s a lot of community pride,” said Zietsoff. “Brownsville is very small, but we’re mighty.”
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