
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994                    TAG: 9405280173 
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN                     PAGE: 08    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940601                                 LENGTH: SMITHFIELD

RESCUE SQUAD NEEDS FINANCIAL HELP

{LEAD} It's the Isle of Wight Volunteer Rescue Squad's turn to call for help.

The squad is hoping the community once again will come to its rescue during the 1994 fund-raising campaign. The organization, which kicked off its annual fund drive in May, is hoping to raise $100,000 this year, said Brian Carroll, the group's president.

{REST} Every Saturday last month, rescue squad volunteers stood outside grocery stores and at highway intersections collecting donations from passers-by.

The squad raised nearly $8,000 from change people dropped into collection buckets last year. ``Those quarters add up,'' Carroll said.

On May 15, the rescue squad mailed out letters asking for donations to all households in the squad's service area of northern Isle of Wight County. Carroll said contributions began coming in by return mail within two days..

``We are already seeing a pretty good response,'' Carroll said. ``We are having to empty that post office box every day right now!''

Although most donations are between $25 and $30, some people have given as much as $300, he said.

The third fund-raiser, a free family portrait in exchange for a donation, is slated for October.

Both Carroll and John Treier, the rescue squad's captain, believe the squad is more dependent than ever before on public support.

According to Treier, the department has experienced a 40 percent increase in incoming calls since the countywide installation of 911 last year. In addition, the squad needs to purchase new equipment, including a $75,000 ambulance, to adequately service the county's rapidly growing population, he said.

``Our calls are increasing but our money (from local governments) is not,'' said Brian Carroll, squad president.

Only about $60,000 in the rescue squad's current $200,000 budget comes from the county and Town of Smithfield, he said.

``We couldn't make it without people's donations,'' Carroll said. by CNB