A series of events over the holiday season have highlighted the service firefighters give to the community and have showcased the dedication of families in the community who have worked to honor them.

One family in particular is the family of Cassandra and George Stish. The couple, which lost their son, Thurston “Thor” Stish, on New Year’s Eve in 2015, has donated a collective total of nearly $12,000 to four different fire departments in Buckingham County.

The funds donated to the departments had been raised in part from the “Thor’s Hammer” event held in September, which included a chili cook-off and a firefighter competition.

The family continues to serve area fire departments in other ways. George Stish and his son, Xander, currently volunteer at Glenmore Volunteer Fire Department.

“The focus is to benefit the fire departments here in Buckingham County,” George said in a Dec. 22 article in The Herald.

For the ways that the Stish family used loss to reach out to others and to support organizations that we as community members sometimes take for granted, The Herald offers commendation. The family has continued to serve the volunteer fire departments in Buckingham.

The dedication of area firefighters is especially commendable as many of those volunteers, according to Mark Lilly, assistant chief with the Glenmore Volunteer Fire Department, will bring their equipment with them wherever they go to be prepared for an emergency.

Farmville Volunteer Fire Department held a banquet Dec. 16 to honor firefighters in the department and to award long-serving members of the department and to commend firefighters who have shown outstanding service.

Richmond Fire Chief Melvin Carter said during the keynote he delivered that the service firefighters offer is crucial in the community and said the banquet was a way to celebrate the firefighters and their families for the sacrifices they have given.

“This faith and understanding from the community is no accident,” Carter said. “It’s delivered through your professionalism, your dedication, your integrity and all of your training. So I and we want to celebrate you, Farmville Fire Department.”

We at The Herald agree, and we wish all firefighters in Farmville, Prince Edward County, Buckingham County and Cumberland County a safe and happy 2018.