Rarely do you find an active volunteer firefighter that has been in the department for over sixty years. The East Herkimer Volunteer Fire Department has two Walter Richard and Angelo Castilla.
When these two men joined the Dept. Dwight Eisenhower was president of the United States, the cost of a new home averaged $12,400, 75% of homes were heated with wood or coal. A brand new car average price was $2,200 and seat belts were first beginning to appear in volvos, Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states annexed into the United States of America.
Walt became a member on July 28th 1959 and Angelo on December 29th 1959. Both have been and still remain outstanding role models in our community. Good husbands, fathers, and neighbors. There is no way of telling how many hours that they have donated of their time to give to helping others, monthly meetings, fire schools, fund raisers, B.B.Q.s, bingo, field days, fire calls, auto accidents, false alarms , and the list goes on.
Not only active firefighters, but both have served as our chief. Angelo in 1982-1986 and Walter served three different times 1971-1975, 1978-1982, and 1992-1996. The word dedication just doesn’t do them justice for all that they have given to their community for so, so many years. Along with too many hours to count we could only speculate as to how many other volunteers that they have seen come and go. East Herkimer and the surrounding areas have been richly blessed by having these two be part of our community. They would simply say it’s the right thing to do, so lets get it done. Never ones to say let someone else do it. Having lived through WW2’s paper drives, rubber, and metal scrapping they have learned from an early age what it means to sacrifice. If you get a chance to see one of these gentlemen, and they truly are gentlemen, make sure they get a thank you. Angelo and Walter thank you for what you have been, for what you are, and continue to be. May god continue to bless you as you have blessed us.