The Diligence Fire Company of Summit Hill has begun its annual fund drive, mailing appeal letters to all households in the borough.

“Please don’t throw them in the garbage,” said Fire Chief Shawn Hoben.

He said the fund drive is — other than grants it might receive — the main source of income for the fire department.

He said about 1,200 letters were recently mailed.

The fund drive is conducted once a year. This year it is later than usual because a new firm is handling it. Donations are sent directly to the fire department.

“We’ve been fortunate,” Hoben said. “We usually get some generous donations.”

He stressed that the small donations add up and are very helpful to keep the company equipped.

“We have more than a dozen active volunteers including fire police members,” he said. “We have a good fundraising committee that does a lot.”

Although the fund drive is vital to the fire company’s existence, which doesn’t charge for its services, the fundraising committee also has other events including a dart tournament within the next two months.

The fire department recently purchased a 2024 Pierce Freightliner tanker, which has a 3,000-gallon holding capacity and a 1,250 gallons per minute pumper. The pumper cost slightly less than $500,000, with a grant covering half the cost and the fire department responsible for the rest.

Kevin Steber, president of the fire company, said the volunteers work to maintain a modern fleet. The next truck to be replaced will be a 1993 rescue truck.

Hoben said, “We’re always looking for volunteers. We’re looking for anyone — fundraisers, administrative, drivers. There’s a place for anybody here.”

He said a $35 donation is less than 10-cents a day.

Steber, who is also the borough’s emergency management coordinator, said besides responding to fire calls, the fire department goes to accident scenes, searches, flooded basements, community events and virtually any other type of call.

“Probably everybody in the community has been touched by our services,” Hoben said.

Steber said, “If you had to pay for the services the volunteers provide, residents would not be able to afford it.”

Anyone who has not received an appeal letter can contact any fire department member or mail a check to Diligence Fire Company No. 1, 114 W. Ludlow St., Summit Hill, PA 18250.