Ceremony kicks off 125th anniversary celebration of Firemen’s home

Black curtains drew back to reveal a vivid rescue scene at the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York Firemen’s Home unveiling of the Caring Window on Friday night.

The firemen’s home, which serves as a residence for 85 members from across the state, is celebrating 125 years.

The weekend-long celebration kicked off at 7 p.m. Friday night with the unveiling of the window and memorial service in the FASNY Firemen’s Home chapel.

“This window is more than a work of art,” said the Rev. Wayne F. Jagow, FASNY Board of Directors chaplain. “The designer was able to learn about men and women of the fire service, what they had deep down inside of them and what it meant.

“It touched her heart, it touched her life.”

“It is a wonderful tribute to the volunteer fire service and a beautiful addition to our chapel,” said FASNY Ladies Auxiliary President Dianne Werner.

The stained glass window, designed by Willet Hauser Architectural Glass, displayed a scene where four firefighters were rescuing and caring for two children while one more firefighter extinguished the flames.

Gates depicted in the background of the image serve as a reminder that FASNY provides a caring place for firefighters, FASNY Board of Trustees President David Schmidt said at the unveiling.

“The ladder symbolizes a relationship between heaven and earth with a bright light shining down as a ray of hope,” Schmidt said. “The red in the background has a double meaning — it can be seen as the fire, but also as a beautiful sunset.

“It is meant to symbolize character, courage and self-discipline.”

The chapel was filled to capacity Friday night as home members and their families, FASNY dignitaries and state officials joined in the celebration.

Friday’s service included the window unveiling, tributes to 17 home members who passed away last year, a candle lighting ceremony, prayer and song.

U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-19, attended the service with his wife. Faso had known three of the home members who were remembered during the ceremony. They were: Floyd E. Hempstead, of the Cairo Fire Department, T. Damian Monahan, of the Kinderhook Fire Department, and Bob O. Van Valkenberg, of the Athens Volunteer Fire Department, Faso said.

“The window is beautiful and it really does symbolize the roles firefighters play in our communities and the importance of the home here in Hudson,” Faso said.

The celebration continues Saturday and will be filled with events starting with a parade at 9:30 a.m. The parade will step off from Green Street in Hudson and will make its way through the city before ending at the Firemen’s Home on Harry Howard Avenue.

Residents and visitors can also enjoy a fire muster at the firemen’s home Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

The muster revives a tradition of gathering fire apparatus on the grounds of the firemen’s home. Saturday’s muster is open to hand-drawn, horse-drawn, motorized not-in-service and motorized in-service apparatus with prizes awarded for each category.

Guests at the muster will also enjoy fire demonstrations and games, tours of the fireman’s home and the FASNY Museum of Firefighting.

A brick memorial rededication will take place at the home at 2 p.m. where members of the association will have Saturday’s date and a maltese cross added to an obelisk stone memorial on the grounds to signify the date and 125th anniversary.

Throughout the day, guests will also enjoy a gold leaf exhibit where they can make their own gold leaf keychains, food, music and games.

The 125th anniversary events are free and open to the public, with the exception of Saturday night’s banquet.

Steven E. Klein, FASNY’s first vice president, acknowledged the people who work at the home during his speech Friday night.

“FASNY has been dedicated to making this place what it is since day one and it would never work if it wasn’t for the people who work here,” Klein said. “One thing we should remember is those people who have dedicated their lives to making this place a home away from home.”