It was a special birthday party for Charles Getz of Albrightsville on Sunday.

He turned 80 years old so the Albrightsville Volunteer Fire Company surprised him with two cakes — one of his horse, tractor and garages and the other with a photo of the fire department.

Getz, a lifelong resident of Albrightsville, is an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Albrightsville.

Craig Zurn, president of Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, represented the bank and made a financial donation to the fire department on behalf of Getz.

Getz told the audience, “It’s really great to be honored like this.”

He praised the volunteer firefighters and said, “What you people do, you do it because you love your community and you love your fellow man.”

He added, “I’m proud that I live in Albrightsville and that I’m a member of the Albrightsville Fire Company.”

He also received a park bench with the inscription, “In appreciation. Charles and Carol Getz. Albrightsville Vol. Fire Company”; a handcrafted wooden sign that reads Getz Farm; and an engraved pocket watch.

Many speakers heaped praise on Getz for his contributions not only to the fire company, but the entire region.

He was a member of the board of supervisors in Kidder Township for 34 years. He was a Carbon County Commissioner for 18 years.

He has been a member of the board of directors of Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank since 1988.

”It’s a privilege to belong to this fire company and help them out,” he said.

Getz was born and raised on the family farm, the son of Claude and Eva (Eckley) Getz. His father died of a heart attack in 1956 when he was just 19. His mother died at age 85 in 1981.

He and his wife of 51 years, the former Carol Kelhart, still have the farm. Besides farm work, they have three large horses and two miniatures.

He went to grade school in a one-room school house in Albrightsville for four years and graduated from Jim Thorpe High School.

When someone began pointing out all he has done for the area, he said, “I don’t look at what I accomplished. I sit down and think about how blessed I was.”

He credits his parents with instilling a good work ethic into him.

“My parents always said, ‘Anything you want you’ve got to work hard for it.’”

Getz said his parents also taught him to be generous.

“They were always helping people,” he said.

“My mom would sometimes call people and say, ‘Come on up. I’ll give you a bushel of potatoes to last for the winter.”

Besides farming, Getz owned a bus company from 1967 to 2014 and a rafting business from 1980 to 1997.

He said he started his bus company with one bus and it grew into a fleet of 29 vehicles.

Getz and his wife met in 1958 when her parents had a campsite at the Hickory House Restaurant.

They were married in 1966.

He said he never considered living anywhere but Albrightsville.

“I love it here,” he said. “I’m just trying to keep the farm in nice shape.”

Getz said, “My pleasure in life is trying to help people. My wife is the same way.”