Sand Mountain Reporter

Boaz firefighters will have a turkey shoot on Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon in the open field at the intersection of Alabama 168 and Double Bridges Road.

Prizes provided by local merchants will include whole turkeys, hams and slabs of bacon.

Funds raised from the event will go to purchase paper products for Boaz kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Additionally, a portion of the monies will go to purchase a new outfit for “Sparky,” the firedog.

Boaz fire Chief Mike Sparks announced the reactivation of the department’s fire prevention and safety program utilizing Sparky and the clowns Spanky and Skeet.

Former fire Chief J.W. Nicholson originally initiated the program after seeing a similar program at a chief’s conference.

Then Lt. Bill Tech’s interest in the program led to firefighter Brady Gibson and Tech taking a weeklong course at a professional clowning school in Columbia, Tenn., in 1999.

The two firefighters, as clowns named Spanky (Tech) and Skeet (Gibson), along with Sparky, became popular ambassadors for the fire prevention and safety program in Boaz schools and the community.

Unfortunately, Tech, the driving force behind the program developed Multiple Sclerosis and was forced to retire in 2002.

Chief Sparks recently became aware of the former program and determined it needed to be reactivated.

Although confined to a wheelchair, Tech has agreed to become a consultant and help get the program reorganized and teach the art of clowning to those firefighters wanting to participate.

“I feel great, and I am glad they want to restart the clown aspect of the safety program,” Tech said.

Call 593-8488 for more information.

Share | Save | Mail | Print | Letter

Follow the Reporter on Twitter:

SMR News and
SMR Sports

Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

A Southern Newspapers publication.