The volunteers at Mastersonville Fire Company are on a mission.

"We have a heart for helping," said Jeff Siegrist, assistant chief, who has served the organization for more than two decades. "That's the reason all of us are here."

Adds Kyle Peters, also a 20-plus-year veteran who serves as fire chief, "And that's certainly why we stay."

The all-volunteer nonprofit fire department, located at 2121 Meadow View Road, Manheim, provides service to residents in parts of Rapho and Mount Joy townships.

"We handle everything from vehicle accidents to house fires to barn fires to somebody that falls out of a tree to residential flooding," stated Butch Montgomery, deputy fire chief. Any type of 911 call other than a police call is addressed by the station, including water rescues and medical calls.

Like many fire stations, however, Mastersonville needs help.

"We're looking for volunteers in all areas," said Mark Duttera, company president. He emphasized that he is a "non-firefighting president" and noted that help is needed to go out in the field on calls but also to take on administrative tasks in the office.

That's what Mark and his family members do. His wife, Sara, is the station's secretary. Son Zac is the assistant treasurer, and daughter Lexie is an unofficial volunteer.

"I'm here for one reason and one reason only - to help them where I can," Mark said, gesturing to his peers who answer the calls. "I have no desire to fight fires."

Lori Shenk, who began volunteering with the station 35 years ago with her now-husband, Matt, said there is a volunteer opportunity for everyone.

"If we could have members that would just show up at the end of a call and help us clean up the equipment or wash the bay floor, that would be a huge help," she said. "We need landscaping help. We have a lot of opportunities to help in different ways."

Training is offered every Monday evening, providing everything members need to answer calls, Lori said.

The station has been serving the community for 75 years, and although it participates in a federal grant program that helps with some funding, it relies on donations and fundraisers to operate.

A chicken barbecue is typically held in the spring as is a community breakfast, but the station's biggest fundraiser is its pig roast, held in November.

This past year's event, however, did not go as smoothly as planned. The volunteers underscored their apologies to anyone who was disappointed when the food ran out after less than 90 minutes, noting that the event was the "perfect storm" of beautiful weather and a great turnout. Duttera emphasized that steps are being taken to fix the problem going forward, stating, "We never intended to miss the mark on this. We were as upset as the public was, and we are doing everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Whether they are serving food to the community or fighting a fire, the volunteers at Mastersonville Fire Company care about others, Siegrist stated.

"When you go out on a call, you meet people at the worst time of their life," he said. "And you're able to make that situation better for them. That's everlasting for some people."

To learn more about how to volunteer, visit the station or call 717-665-5192.