WADENA — Karvonen Funeral and Cremation Service donated over 20 helmet lights to the Wadena Fire Department on Wednesday, March 1.
The donation was a collaborative effort between Karvonen Funeral and the fire department, as the two work closely together.
“Greg (Karvonen) approached us on donating. He wanted to donate some kind of tool we could use for each individual firefighter,” said Cody Yglesias, ex-officio/Wadena Fire Department chief. “… What we didn’t have was the helmet lights because our original helmet lights that came with our gear around eight years ago, (there) was probably only one or two still surviving.”
Greg and Suzi Karvonen, owners of Karvonen Funeral, were both in attendance during the donation and thanked the department for the vital work they do.
“They’re always very helpful in what they do and their service. It’s kind of a pay-it-forward where they help us, we help them and we just wanted to donate something to a good cause that would help them serve our community, our area, and keep them safe. No. 1 is keep them safe,” Greg said.
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The Karvonens have donated to other area fire departments in the past, such as New York Mills, and are currently in the process of ordering lights for the Verndale Fire Department, Greg said.
“They’re our friends, they’re our neighbors, and just like our funeral home, they’re here to serve the community and the area here. … They’re available just like us, 24/7, 365 days a year,” he said.
And if you want to serve your community, now is your chance.
The Wadena Fire Department currently has one opening that they hope to close within the next 30 days, Yglesias said.
Applications and more information about the application process can be found at https://www.wadena.org/employment/pages/application-process . Applications remain active for one year once submitted.
“We appreciate all of the community’s donations and the support,” Yglesias said.
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