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DUSHORE -- The Dushore Fire Company marked a special moment during Founders Day on Saturday with the community introduction and rededication of Ladder 57, the department's recently acquired aerial ladder truck.
The ceremony on Main Street was about much more than placing a new piece of fire apparatus into service. It brought together the history of the truck, the legacy of a firefighter from its former department, and the memory of two longtime members of the Dushore Fire Company.
Dushore purchased the 2020 aerial ladder truck earlier this year from the Rostraver Township Volunteer Fire Department near Pittsburgh. By purchasing the modern apparatus rather than buying a comparable truck new, the Fire Company saved the community more than $2 million while being able to place an aerial ladder into service immediately.
Ladder 57 arrived in Dushore already carrying a special history.
When the truck was placed into service by Rostraver Township in 2020, it was dedicated to Firefighter Michael Godzak, who devoted nearly 50 years to the fire service. Godzak began as a junior firefighter at age 12 and went on to hold every line officer position, including serving nine years as chief. He died on April 29, 2018, after suffering a medical emergency at his fire station following a fire call.
When Dushore acquired the ladder truck, members of the Fire Company made the decision that Godzak's dedication would remain with the apparatus in its new home.
During Saturday evening's ceremony, Dushore Fire Company unveiled a Standing Watch Memorial honoring Godzak. A matching memorial is being sent to Webster, Pennsylvania, where the ladder had been stationed and where Godzak served, symbolically connecting the truck's former home with the community it will now serve.
The rededication also recognized two members of the Dushore Fire Company whose loss has been deeply felt by the department and community: Captain Robert Walsh and Past Chief Frank Yonkin.
Walsh, a respected officer, firefighter, mentor and friend, died following a courageous battle with cancer. Yonkin, a longtime leader of the Dushore Fire Company, and his wife, Bonnie, were lost in a tragic automobile accident.
As part of Ladder 57's new chapter in Dushore, a permanent plaque was placed inside the truck recognizing the two men. It reads:
"Placed into service in memory of Captain Robert Walsh and Chief Frank Yonkin."
The plaque was unveiled during the Founders Day ceremony, providing a lasting reminder that Walsh and Yonkin will remain part of the apparatus and the firefighters who serve aboard it.
The Fire Company emphasized during the ceremony that the three men are not being combined into a single memorial. Rather, Ladder 57 now carries two histories: Michael Godzak's original connection to the truck and the history of Robert Walsh and Frank Yonkin within the Dushore Fire Company.
As Chief John Yonkin explained during the ceremony, Godzak's name is part of the truck's history, while Walsh and Yonkin are part of the department's history. Ladder 57 will now carry both histories forward.
The evening concluded with the unveiling of the Standing Watch Memorial and an invitation for members of the community to see Ladder 57 up close before the annual Founders Day Outhouse Races.
For Dushore Fire Company, the occasion represented more than the arrival of another fire truck. It was a reminder that the fire service is built upon generations of people who serve their neighbors and leave something behind for those who answer the next call.
"One legacy came with the ladder. Two legacies welcomed it home."