September 9, 2004

Dolton, IL—The Village of Dolton will be able to help a community in need, thanks to the Village’s recent purchase of more than a million dollars in new fire equipment. Mayor William “Bill” Shaw and the Board of Trustees will donate two of Dolton’s fire trucks to Pembroke Township, Illinois, one of the poorest communities in the country on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. at the Dolton Fire Station #1, 14022 Park Avenue in Dolton. Pembroke, which has a population of just more than 2700 people, and is mostly African-American, is located in Kankakee County. This small, rural town lost most of their fire vehicles while fighting a brush fire earlier this year. Their fire trucks were so badly in need of repair, that they would not start when the firefighters tried to escape the growing blaze.

Mayor Shaw said, “When (Dolton) Trustee (Ronnie) Lewis told me about the situation in Pembroke, I was devastated to hear of the conditions the residents there were living in. It was disheartening for me to learn that a community—just 70 miles from such a prosperous city as Chicago, would be living in such dire circumstances.” He continued, “The Village of Dolton has been blessed with brand-new fire equipment for our town, and I think we would be less of a community if we did not stand up to help those who are less fortunate than us.”

Approximately 51% of the household in Pembroke are living below the poverty line, with their per capita income lower than $10,000. The town does not have a police force, bank, barbershop, supermarket, gas station or pharmacy. The roads are mostly sand and gravel, and many homes have dirt floors, tires on the roof to keep the roof in place and lack running water. Pembroke was the community which inspired the creation of Family-to-Family, a not-for-profit hunger relief program. Through this organization, Pembroke has been highlighted on Good Morning America and Oprah, as well as in People Magazine and the New York Times.

Dolton’s Senior Trustee Ronnie Lewis commented, “I thought it would be a good gesture to offer Pembroke our old fire equipment. This is our chance to give back, and instead of selling the equipment, we can donate it to someone who really needs it.”

Pembroke will receive an Aerial Platform Truck and a Rescue Pumper Engine.