The Sparta Volunteer Fire Department is raising funds to buy land for a fire station.
Currently, firefighters keep their trucks at a makeshift garage located on a property off Sparta Road that belongs to founders Pat and Eddie Beard.
"It makes me proud that I can do something for them and for the community," Pat said.
Pat who is also the treasurer of the department said her husband Eddie built the stalls to make possible for the department to store their equipment.
Sparta Assistant Fire Chief Dale Hammerschmidt is thankful for the support of the Beards.
"They were nice enough to have the department until we grew and basically we've outgrown the facility here," Hammerschmidt said.
Firefighters have been using the facility since 2012 but in the past year, it has become more difficult for the couple to continue housing the fire station.
"Eddie had a heart attack and it's time for them to build a better place," Pat said.
Firefighters are hoping to find a place that will be easier to leave and return.
"It presents a challenge, a safety challenge as we enter and exit the facility for motorists and our apparatus," Hammerschmidt said.
In addition, he said the lack of insulation has caused problems to the fire trucks in past winters.
"We were unable to keep our heaters going and we had major pump damage done to them," Hammerschmidt said.
For Giving Tuesday, Hammerschmidt is hoping to raise $1,752 to help the department get a step closer to purchasing another property to build their fire station.
"It would help the morale of our volunteers that would allow us to grow as a department," Hammerschmidt said.
He added it would also help them give back to the community.
"We would be able to have training for the public, where we could have CPR classes," Hammerschmidt said.
If you would like to donate, visit their Facebook page.
As part of another fundraising effort, the group has already secured $36,000, which they would also use toward the purchase.
Firefighters hope to buy a new property at the beginning of 2019 and move into the new facility by Spring.
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