Relief Engine Company’s Relief Beerfest 11, Moorestown’s only beer festival, will be held at the Community House on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m.
The event was originated to raise funds for the fire department, said Kevin Middleton, committee chair of Relief Beerfest 11.
“To see it grow has been amazing,” he added. “To see the turnout of people … You have a number of businesses within town that donate every single year … (The event’s) popularity seems to grow, and the support from the businesses is tremendous.”
Relief Beerfest 11 is expected to include breweries, of course, but also live music and food. Held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the event is something Middleton always looks forward to, specifically when it comes to seeing interactions between the residents and the firefighters. But that’s not all.
“We’ve also – for the past six or seven years – have drummed up interest in (firefighter) volunteering from the event itself,” Middleton said. “We’ve gotten one or two members each year for the past six years, which is cool.”
Relief Engine Company is 100% volunteer and a brotherhood of members that extends past the township. Once you’re a firefighter and you go through the training, and you’ve been inside a burning building, you have a bond with other people around, not just the United States, but the world, according to Middleton.
“It’s one small piece of a larger group of people,” he explained. “That bond travels with you no matter where you go … It’s just a very good group of guys and girls who get together to do something good for the community but have other occupations outside of this, which makes it unique.
“Everybody brings something in – a different angle, a different view – on how you can do something.”
The fire company supports community events and activities that include the annual Easter flower sale, the Scarecrow-making contest at Autumn in Moorestown and the breakfast with Santa at the station following the annual holiday parade in December.
“We try to not just give back by protecting people and property,” Middleton noted, “but also give back on the humanity side of it as well.”
For tickets to Relief Beerfest 11, visit www.reliefbeerfest.com.
