Good things happen to those who wait.

Or in the case of the Powellsville Volunteer Fire Department, wait…and wait…and wait.

Over its 52-year history, the members of this all-volunteer organization have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve the citizens of the Powellsville community. In doing so, they have often put their lives on the line to answer the call of those in need.

As is the case with a majority of small, rural volunteer fire departments, the Powellsville firemen are not blessed with an abundance of operational funds. They do receive $10,000 annually from Bertie County, but $9,000 of that is used to cover insurance costs.

In order to maintain its operation, the Powellsville firemen rely on those within the local area to support their annual fundraisers. Without those funds, the doors to their fire station would close, leaving the local citizens without valuable fire protection.

They are in need of a new fire truck to replace a 37-year-old vehicle, but with limited resources they cannot afford the payments.

Thanks to the ingenuity of the wife of the fire chief, Powellsville VFD finds itself in the national spotlight as one of seven finalists in a contest where the winner will receive a 2009 fire truck. We can help them win, and finally give those hard-working volunteers something to smile about, by going to www.e-one.com and voting for the Powellsville entry.

We implore all citizens in the Roanoke-Chowan area with computer access to do exactly that.