LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS: Cliff Hastings is surprised how fast the last 50 years went by. Cliff, a long-time Rew volunteer firefighter, has been talking to us about the Tri-County Firemen’s Association convention held 50 summers ago in Rew.

Despite the speed with which time has flown, Cliff added that “so many things have changed.”

The association has evolved over the years.

For starters, the association is now known as the Tri-County Firefighters Association, Cliff said, to include all of the women who volunteer for local fire departments.

Tri-County did not change its name when it started including departments from a fourth county, Elk. Elk joined Cameron, McKean and Potter counties in the association in the 1930s, Cliff said.

Also among changes to local fire departments is a change in membership.

Cliff attributes the change largely to inflation, which has put greater strains on families to maintain a household. He explained in the past, often only one person would need to work one job to make enough to survive; now more people in each household work, sometimes two or three jobs, to support a family.

This cuts down on the time people have to volunteer.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t change how important fire departments are to the people in the community, available at any time of day — or night — and in all types of weather to help in an emergency.

The years have not changed the way the departments work together to reach their goals.

Just as they did 50 years ago, Cliff said multiple area fire departments will assist the host of this year’s association convention — the Kane Volunteer Fire Department.

IN JULY: Regular contributor Clayton Vecellio of Lewis Run passed along some things to celebrate this month.

Clayton writes that July is both National Hot Dog Month and National Ice Cream Month.

A hot dog, he said, is “America’s favorite and most patriotic food,” as evidenced by the more than 20 billion Americans eat annually.

Meanwhile, President Ronald Reagan first made the ice cream month designation 30 years ago in 1984, Clayton tells us. “It is a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by a full 90 percent of the nation’s population.”

He ends these facts with this advice: “So let’s get out and enjoy some. I know I will.”

We can’t argue with that.