Firemen’s Ball Goes To 11
Sponsors turn this fun party into a major fundraiser for OVFD.
The annual Firemen’s Ball will be Saturday, May 28th this year. Fans can expect the same great BBQ, high-paced live auction, and no-fools-no-fun dance party that the organizers have delivered for the past ten years. The all-volunteer, all-donations event typically raises around $65,000 in just one day for Ocracoke’s volunteer fire department.
I recently sat down with Steph Ihle and David Finch to talk about how one band turned an excuse to play a gig on Ocracoke into the most successful fundraiser the island has ever had. Steph and her husband Larry organize the Ball each year, and David cooks, serves the ‘cue, and provides the dance music with the other Dune Dogs.
The origins of the Firemen’s Ball go back to the Dune Dogs’ love of a good party. In 2006, the Raleigh-based band had played two weddings on the island and had such a good time, they wanted to come back. Dune Dogs guitarist Hill Dickerson had the brilliant idea to rent the Community Center and play, and suggested that David and Russell “R.B.” Berry cook a pig. David was pretty sure he’d get stuck with the bills for the shindig, so he asked his friend Mayo Boddie to pitch in and help pay for it. Mayo suggested the party raise money for a charity, and asked his friend Larry Ihle to suggest a good cause. Larry knew that the OVFD was dreaming of building a new fire hall, and offered to help the party happen. Thus the first Firemen’s Ball was born.
“The first year we sold the food and got donations and made $3500,” David said. And they were pretty happy with that.
Then Larry and Steph got involved and had the idea for an auction, which helps raise money and get people in the spirit of bidding for a good cause, but it is sponsorships that make the difference in the Ball’s bottom line.
“The amount of money we raised jumped almost ten-fold in the 2nd year because of sponsors, and has doubled again since then,” David said. “We hit up our sponsors every year and they come through for us.”
“A lot of these people have been with us since the beginning,” Steph said. “We appreciate them so much.”
Both of them gave a shout-out to Tommy Hutcherson, who owns the Variety Store.
“Tommy goes way back to Day 1. He has always been there, donating beer, always sponsored us,” David said.
The Variety Store accepts all the food and drink and stores it for the Ball – the pig goes into their cooler. Tommy’s also always been a good sport.
“The first year we ran out of pork – it was the first time we’d cooked a pig or done anything like this and we let people serve themselves,” David said, laughing at his own cluelessness. “R.B. and I had been there all night cooking, and he went home to get cleaned up. Everybody came and served themselves and the food went fast. Then they come walking up: RB and Elena and Tommy and Kathy, and there was no food left, no BBQ. I forgot to hold some back for them, and they had to go to Jason’s!”
David learned from his mistakes: the Firemen’s Ball volunteers dole out the BBQ servings on plates, and the first ones get delivered across the street to the Variety Store staff.
Another shout-out goes to Will Roberson, who, along with “Grillzilla,” will be back to cook the pig. “He’s passionate about pork,” David said. Will and his sidekick stay up all night with Grillzilla cooking 750 pounds of pulled pork and 200+ racks of ribs.
The firemen come around 3:30pm on Ball day and chop the pork, which is a big part of the fun, and it’s even a little competitive. R.B. built special equipment for the pork – troughs with a chopping block at the bottom, and choppers. “We can chop 3 shoulders in less than 60 seconds,” David bragged. They time themselves each year. Last year, they chopped 750 pounds in 23 minutes! Can they beat that record in 2016?
David chops pork and he’s also on “rib detail.” “The funnest volunteer job is working on the assembly line. I’ve got a beer, everyone’s laughing and joking, it’s great,” he said.
Steph agreed that the most fun she has at the Firemen’s Ball is working the food line. “You get to see everyone who comes,” she said.
There are silent and live auctions each year (Philip Howard is the auctioneer), and for 2016, Stephanie O’Neal is taking over the auction duties. (If you have anything to donate, let her know.) Her brother is OVFD Chief Albert O’Neal, so the fire department is near and dear to her heart.
Firefighter Karmen Laton is in charge of bartending, rounding up a crew to sling the beer and sodas. (Steph and David gave a shout-out to Elaine Spencer, who ran the bar for years before turning it over to Karm.) “Karmen’s not afraid to enforce,” David said.
The Ocracoke Rockers joined the Firemen’s Ball line-up the second year. Local musician Martin Garrish approached the Dune Dogs and asked to play, and the Rockers have been a part of the party ever since. More recently, the Aaron Caswell Band has joined in. All three bands will be there this year, and they often overlap, playing on each other songs and melding into one big, happy rock-n-roll family. “We’ll jam together like we always do,” David said. “They’re all so generous,” Steph said, adding that the bands, especially the Dune Dogs, don’t always get all the credit they deserve.
“[Dune Dog] Dusty Baker’s been there since day 1 – last year the Firemen’s Ball was on his birthday, and he was just drunk enough,” David laughed. It was a memorable sight, and I thought I took a photo of Dusty in his bird mask, but I can’t find it, so please use your imagination.
Last year was also bittersweet, as it was the first year without R.B., who passed away in early 2015. He was honored by OVFD as “Chief Pit Boss” for his years of service to the Firemen’s Ball, and is missed by all his island friends.
David always arrives on Thursday before the ball to help with the auction items. The first party is Friday night at the “E-Bar” (Erick O’Neal’s house) with a fish fry with the Dune Dogs’ large collection of island friends. Saturday is the Ball, all day, all night. On Sunday, they play during the day (hungover? maybe a little) at SmacNally’s. “My favorite day is Monday,” David said.
Amazingly, the Firemen’s Ball puts on this party each year without a single planning meeting. “There’s no committee, no board, but it runs so smoothly every year,” Steph said.
“It just comes together, which is amazing for a group this size,” David said. “No meetings – just emails from Steph, and it happens."
Thank to all the following people, companies, and groups for sponsoring the 2016 Firemen's Ball. Show 'em some love when you can! If you'd like to become a sponsor and support this great cause, check out the website for more information.
SPONSOR LIST 2016
DIAMOND
ATCOM
Ocean Atlantic Rentals
Mollie Fearing and Associates
Ocracoke Variety Store
PLATINUM
Budweiser/City Beverage Co.
Coastal Gas Service
Drumstick Sport Fishing
Ocracoke Island Realty
GOLD
The Nicolas B. and Lucy Mayo Boddie Foundation
OCRACATS
Edward and Susan Norvell
The Brubaker – Hough Family
Ocracoke Station and Beachcomber Campground
The Captain’s Landing
Chalk and Gibbs, Inc.
SILVER
Dickerson Hearth Products
Yadkin Bank
Custom Building Co. / North State Steel
Mike Toler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Morehead City
In memory of Marion Dilday
Mike Keller, LTD.
Pony Island Motel and Cottages
US Foods
Ocracoke Harbor Inn
SYSCO Hampton Roads
Harborside Motel and Gift Shop
Flying Fish Ink
Coca Cola Bottling Co.
LUKES R N2 OINC
Kostich and O’Neal, CPA
Dominic and Cindy Pagnotta and Innovate Real Estate
PARTNER
Scott, Sue, Cameron and Chase Hall
Charles and Bettina Meekins
Mickey’s Sales and Service
Steve Harris
Tideland EMC
Pony Island Restaurant
Howard’s Pub
North Pond Properties
Austin City Limits
Kellogg Supply Co.
The Cove Bed and Breakfast
Robert D. Kornegay, Jr. PLLC
STIFEL
Drake Properties
NC Farm Bureau Insurance Co. Tina Eakes Agency Manager
Lighthouse Service Center
Dr. Phillip S. Perdue, Orthopedics East and Sports Medicine Center
Robin and Bobby Turner
A. Todd Electrical
Drake Properties
Ocracoke Bar and Grill
Carl O’Neal Contruction, Inc.
Fortnight Brewery and Pub
Karen and Barry Burgan
Gaffer’s Sports Pub
Brownie Futrell
Beverly Sullivan
Read Ocracoke Current's coverage of the 2014 Firemen's Ball here.
