Volunteer fire company appreciated
As an employee of North Bethlehem Township and a resident of Scenery Hill, I feel compelled to write this letter of appreciation to all the fire companies and firefighters that participated in trying to save the historic Century Inn in Scenery Hill Aug. 18.
The firemen battled this stubborn blaze through the night and worked so hard to save this historic structure. Around 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 18, with the Tri-County water storage tank running dangerously low, the call was made for additional water tank trucks. Within a short period, tank trucks started rolling from all over Washington County, from as far away as West Finley and Claysville. There were tankers from Fayette, Greene and Westmoreland counties, all engaged in a combined effort to save this historic building.
As my wife and I walked up the street in Scenery Hill, you could not help wondering how many millions of dollars had been spent on the equipment there, and how many fundraisers and donations it took to purchase it all.
Volunteer fire companies don’t get a lot of appreciation for the hard work they do, but there are still some people out there who do recognize their dedication and hard work.
I cannot imagine what it would be like living in Scenery Hill without the Century Inn. Hopefully, it will be rebuilt. I also cannot imagine what it would be like living in Scenery Hill without the volunteer fire companies that serve our communities and protect our families and property.
Russell A. Mowl
Scenery Hill
Mowl is the secretary-treasurer of North Bethlehem Township.
In thinking about the Century Inn, I feel gratitude for sweet memories with my husband, good family Christmas parties, fun dinners with co-workers to celebrate our achievements, happy wedding receptions and quiet lunches with good friends.
But for today, thinking about the Century Inn simply means there is a big hole in my heart.
Judy Cook
Washington