Renamed, Quinton Auxiliary moves forward with turkey dinner

A group that formerly called Quinton Volunteer Fire and EMS Station 2 home has decided to organize its own annual turkey dinner.

Now operating under the name Quinton Auxiliary, the former women’s auxiliary group for Company 2 that used to function inside the company’s station on Route 249 decided during an Oct. 29 meeting to hold the holiday event.

“When people heard we were kicked out of the department, they wanted to support us and still have the dinner,” said a Quinton Auxiliary member, speaking to the Chronicle on condition of remaining anonymous. “We finally had a meeting with all the members present.

“At that meeting, we voted to at least hold that event,” the member continued. “As for future events, that is still up in the air.”

Among those events are the group’s “Breakfast, Honey?” held during the Christmas holiday season. At that event, Santa Claus would join children and adults for breakfast, pictures, and handing out gifts.

Quinton Auxiliary’s turkey dinner used to be a fundraiser to provide money for Company 2. Now, the group has yet to determine a use for the donated funds.

In a statement released issued by Cindy McKinney, one of the members of the recently evicted group, low sales and the cancellation of the annual steak feast was the deciding factor for the group’s removal from the firehouse, saying embezzlement by former Quinton treasurer Lucinda Crump was not an issue as she was not member of the auxiliary. (The entire statement can be read on our website in our “Letter to the Editor”

“I was very unpleasantly surprised by the actions taken by the fire department of Quinton #2 [station],” McKinney said. “The auxiliary did indeed cancel the Steak Feast due to very slow ticket sales and because of many other functions and festivities were going on in the county that same weekend.

Communications between the auxiliary group and Quinton Volunteer Fire and EMS have been non-existent since action to evict the group occurred in early October.

“Nobody from that side has contacted us,” said the anonymous auxiliary member. “However, we plan to send a letter to them with a proper response on the organization’s recent decision to evict us from the facility.”

McKinney also echoed her sentiments and actions, criticizing leadership of the Quinton station and not understanding the importance of the women’s auxiliary group.

“Chief [Sid] Lucas and some newer members may be totally unaware of all the accomplishments that the auxiliary has performed in the past 50 years,” added McKinney. “It has always been the function of the auxiliary to support and help in any way we can such as preparing food and drink for fire members when out on extended calls, help with purchasing tools, equipment, and even the first ambulance at company 2.

Quinton Auxiliary’s turkey dinner is Sunday, Nov. 9, 12-2 p.m. at George Watkins Elementary School, with adult dinners available for $10 and children six and under dinners costing $5.