We are so fortunate to live in the supportive, hard-working, caring, and helpful community of Hillman, Michigan.

During the recent fire of our beloved centennial barn, the Hillman Fire Department, with assistance from Long Rapids Fire Department and Tri-Township Fire Department, were spectacular volunteer fire departments that came to our aid and worked tirelessly to put out the 111-year old wood that seemed to vanish in seconds from our barn and to save the many adjacent buildings from also burning. These firefighters worked tirelessly for 12 hours to put out this fire.

We also witnessed a local contractor and a local logger help those fire departments by moving debris around in efforts to put out the fire. Local farmers showed up with portable tankers to help firefighters haul some of the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from the nearby Thunder Bay River so that the firefighters never ran out of water. Neighbors, family, and friends showed up in droves to help remove machinery and supplies from a nearby structure and assist in any way that they could. A local bar/restaurant supplied pizza to the firefighters in the middle of the night so they could continue to work.

It certainly is a blessing to live in a small town community where volunteer firefighters, community members, family, and neighbors all pitch in to help whoever might be in need. We definitely feel very grateful to have been raised and live in our northern Michigan small town.

JOHN AND JANELLE HERRICK, CARYN, CARISSA

Hillman