ROCKINGHAM — Scott Waters and Jessie Broadwater spent part of Thursday afternoon unloading an ambulance.
The victim: 473 pounds of barbecue to be consumed on Friday.
The meat was cooked at the East Rockingham Fire Department by the Sandhill Boys for the Richmond County Rescue Squad’s annual barbecue plate sale.
Waters, chief of the all-volunteer department, said they will heat it up, add the sauce and stir it all up after 3:30 a.m., when they start parboiling chickens.
The sale, which is held the first Friday in May each year, begins at 11 a.m. and barbecue will be sold by the plate or by the pound.
Plates, whether barbecue or chicken, come with baked beans, cole slaw, a roll and a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie and cost $7.
Those who plan to dine at the station on Rockingham Road will also be able to purchase a drink.
All the money raised from the sale will go into the squad’s operating budget to help pay bills and purchase equipment.
The rescue squad gets $12,000 from the county each year, as well as contributions from the United Way of Richmond County. All other funds are raised by the department.
Waters said many of the fundraisers involve cooking. Aside from the annual plate sale, squad members also cook breakfast at Millstone 4-H Camp and sell concessions at the two professional wrestling matches hosted at the station each month.
Waters said there are some needed upgrades at the station including painting and door replacement.
The squad recently replaced one door, but Waters added, “We’d like to get them all replaced eventually.”
