The year 2021 promises to be full of hope and activity for the Hovland area. Due to Covid, our fire department was not able to host our annual fall meeting for our residents to share our news, future plans and our progress, but there has been a lot going on in our neck of the woods!

For the past 10 years, we have been working towards the construction of a new fire hall to replace the current building that we have severely outgrown. More property has been purchased adjacent to our lot, permits are being secured, and building plans are being finalized.

And construction begins this summer!

But in the midst of all this planning, a great opportunity has suddenly sprung up. We have the chance to replace our 37-year old fire truck with a much newer, “gently used” truck from the Bloomington Fire Department.  The used truck being offered to us was appraised at $50,000, but they are willing to help small rural departments like ours and are offering it to us for $20,000. Considering the cost of many new engines ranges between $400,000-$500,000, this is an amazing opportunity, and a hard deal to pass up!

The problem is that we have been budgeting our funds for building construction and general maintenance on our current fire hall and equipment. We hadn’t allocated any funds for a new truck, so we are asking for your help to let us make this important purchase. We cannot do this without your help!

We have secured partial funding through the generous support of the North Shore Health Care Foundation, who has funded many grants to public services within Cook County.

And we greatly appreciate the continued assistance of larger fire departments such as Bloomington FD. Their donations of fire gear and opportunities to purchase used equipment provide significant savings for our fire department. 

 So, how can you donate? There are many options, and we’re not fussy!

• Send us a check to Hovland Volunteer Fire Department, P.O Box 268. Hovland, MN 55606
• Go to our website at www.HovlandVFD.com and use the “Donate” button.
• Use the camera on your smartphone or tablet to scan the QR code below. 
• Call our treasurer – Beth Ambrosen – at 387-5237 for more information or to get help.

No amount is too small! No amount is too big! And don’t forget: Hovland Fire Dept. is a 501(c)3 non-profit entity, so your donation is tax deductible.

Thank you for your time, and stay tuned for updates on our construction. We plan on hosting an open house to show everything off once the new fire hall is complete, so please join us then!

It’s going to be an exciting summer!