Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department Chief Stephen Settle said that they brought in about 70 gallons of ice cream for the Ice Cream Social on Saturday. Guests could choose from flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cherry nut, butter pecan and moose tracks. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

ELIZABETH — The Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department held its 46th annual Ice Cream Social on Saturday.

The social, which has grown over the years and featured a full day of back-to-back events, kicked off with the Firecracker 5K Fun Run/Walk at 8 a.m. and ended with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Guests relaxed and enjoyed live music while eating homemade cake and pie with ice cream. From noon until dinnertime, the grill was fired up with hotdogs and chili sauce.

“It’s the largest fundraiser of the year and it provides funding for the volunteer fire department and everything they need at the station,” Cherokee Wilkey, vice president of the Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department, said.”The money goes toward upkeep, truck repairs, gear purchases, and essentials to keep the fire department up and running for the entire year.”

All of the firefighters at the station in Elizabeth-Wirt are volunteers who devote their time to helping the community, Wilkey said. Wilkey said they don’t have a fundraising goal, but the department does its best to publicize the social.

The Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department held its 46th annual Ice Cream Social from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. The community celebrated the 4th of July and supported the local volunteer firefighters. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

She estimated from 500-800 people were in attendance throughout the day.

“A lot of people use it as a family reunion to get back together and go to the ice cream social together,” Wilkey said. “It’s definitely an event that people always look forward to year-round.”

Despite the heat and blazing sun, people came from all around Wood County to stop by and enjoy a scoop of ice cream to support the fire department. Tents were available and had plenty of space to shield all of the guests from the sun.

Chief Stephen Settle of the Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department joined the fire department in 1999 and has been chief for 25 years.

“It started back then because there was really no fundraising for the fire department, there was no state funding or anything like that so a lot of the members were taking money out of their pockets to pay for fuel or electricity,” said Settle.

The Ice Cream Social isn’t just about ice cream. Guests on Saturday could enjoy a slice of homemade cake or pie from a selection of classic flavors like red velvet cake or cherry pie. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Settle watched the ice cream social grow over the years and he said COVID was the only year they didn’t host the event.

“The members of this department make it easy to be fire chief,” he said. “I am so thankful to be their fire chief, it’s a good membership we have.”

Settle said all of the money from the ice cream social goes toward improvements for the department. The new station was inspired by the homes he saw during vacation at the Outer Banks and was funded entirely from the six annual fundraising events such as the ice cream social.

The fire department is mostly for training, but is also used for community meetings, weddings and graduation parties.

Settle said that there’s months of work that goes into planning and hosting the ice cream social. Planning and booking live musicians begins as early as February.

Four bands performed during the Ice Cream Social on Saturday. Guests could enjoy ice cream in the shade while listening to classic songs played by local artists. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

“I absolutely love it and I know it’s exhausting by the end of the day,” he said. “But I love that we get to show off the firehouse a little bit.”

Settle said they had about 100 pies and cakes, 70 gallons of ice cream and 2,500 hot dogs. They prepare for weeks ahead of time in order to decide how much food is needed. Any food or desert that remains is available for auction.

Four bands played throughout the event on Saturday. Settle said that they were lucky to have The RanDells based in Nashville perform at the ice cream social.

“I hope for another 46 years we continue the ice cream social,” Settle said.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com.

The trophy for the Firecracker 5K Fun Run/Walk was presented to the winners at the end of the race. Winners received their trophy on Saturday morning. (Photo provided) by Cherokee Wilkey)

The Ice Cream Social commenced with a Firecracker 5K Fun Run/Walk at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Those who were registered lined up along the start line of the race. (Photo provided by Cherokee Wilkey)

The Fireman’s Parade began at 11 a.m. Saturday in Elizabeth. Residents lined the streets as the firetrucks and emergency vehicles drove the parade route through town. (Photo provided by Kathy Deaton)

The Fireman’s Parade featured Smokey the Bear and Sparky the Dog who waved to the crowd. (Photo provided by Crystal Hardbarger)

The Fireman’s Parade began at 11 a.m. and the volunteer fire department showcased equipment and vehicles supported by fundraisers like the Ice Cream Social on Saturday. (Photo provided by Crystal Hardbarger)

The Fireman’s Parade at the Elizabeth-Wirt Volunteer Fire Department Ice Cream Social featured community organizations. Among those with a float was the Boy Scouts in Wirt County. (Photo provided by Crystal Hardbarger)