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The Youngstown Fire Belles
by Lieutenant Martyn J. Lipinsky
On July 17, 1986, the Youngstown Fire Belles Ladies Auxiliary to the International Association of
Firefighters was organized. Donna Carbon and Tern Hian, with the help of numerous other people including
some firefighters, founded it. The purpose of the auxiliary is to help the firefighters in any way
possible, to serve charities and the community.
In the past five years the Fire Belles have a lot to be proud of. The first year, they held a
very successful Spaghetti Dinner for a local child suffering from a rare form of Muscular
Dystrophy. The child was on life support systems and the proceeds from that dinner went
to help with his medical bills.
The Fire Belles make Easter Baskets for hospitalized children, gift baskets for the elderly
at area nursing homes, donate a cake annually to the Easter Seals Cake Auction and have
a Firefighters Family picnic with proceeds going to the IAFF Burn Foundation.
To assist Local 312 Firefighters, the Fire Belles run the concession stand for the annual
Muscular Dystrophy softball tournament. They bake and serve refreshments at the Fire
Prevention Open House in October. They organize, buy and wrap gifts and bake cookies
for Local 312's Childrens Christmas Party, and are in charge of decorating, making
centerpieces, selling raffle tickets and greeting retirees with boutonnieres at the Annual
Retirement and Awards Dinner.
Monthly meeting have ranged from self-defense karate to cake decorating demonstrations,
painting sweatshirts and making crafts, and hosting speakers from MADD,
Women's Crisis Center and CPR to name a few.
The Fire Belles meet the second Tuesday of every month at Christ United Presbyterian
Church, corner of Canfield and Hopkins Roads. Membership is open to wives, daughters,
mothers and sisters of all active, retired and deceased firefighters of Youngstown Local
312. New members are always welcome.
Past presidents include Donna Carbon, Janet Vari and Lucille DiMuzio.
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