The Auxiliary's Annual Strawberry Festival was the major fund raiser for about twenty years, beginning about 1948.  The Strawberry Festival was held at the Carnival Grounds in late June or early July.  We sold strawberries and ice cream, sandwiches, coffee, ice tea and sodas.  In later years platters were added to the menu.  We solicited many businesses for bingo prizes for our afternoon bingo games.  In the late afternoon the Browningsville Band, and some years the Poolesville Band, entertained at our Festival.  We also had softball games at some of the Festivals.

The Hyattstown Volunteer Fire Department's Annual Carnival offered every Auxiliary member a place to work, and we had our own fund raising stand.  In the 1980's we bought a small portable building to use for our Carnival sales.  We sold ice cream and raffled many items; such as: lawn furniture, tape player, freezer, CB Base Station, outside grill, table lamps, gift certificates, Grandfather clock, gift certificates, microwave oven -- a country ham was always the second prize drawing.

In the early 50's the Junior Auxiliary members acted in plays to raise money to help pay for uniforms.  They bought the scripts, one of which was called Scootin' Grandma.  Each play was performed on two weekends on Friday and Saturday nights.  Admission was charged and everyone was pleased that as many as 60 - 70 people attended each of their performances.  This was a summer project for at least two summers.  They performed on the stage in the fire house where the kitchen is now located.

In the 1960's the Auxiliary began catering banquets for bowling leagues, holiday parties, and wedding receptions.  For many years we prepared dinner for over 150 members of the Issac Walton League for their annual meeting, and carried the food to their Club near Potomac.  We also did the same for Rockville's fill in crew, and for several backyard wedding receptions in the Gaithersburg/Rockville areas.  Jane May was our Catering Chairman for at least 15 years.

We have also sold many types of products for profit, such as:  handmade clowns, granny dolls, glasses and pitches, church portraits, stainless steel cutlery, food favors, two-year calendars, and Yuriko foods.

In 1983, the Auxiliary begin holding weekly bingo games at the Station Hall.  Since neighboring organizations already had bingo nights, the only time available to us was on either Friday or Sunday.  We began on Friday nights, but could not draw the crowd we hoped for.  We changed to Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m., then changed the time to 5:00 p.m., and now begging at 4:00 p.m.  We hold our game every Sunday, including most holidays.  Our bingo kitchen provides homemade cooking which has always been popular with the bingo players.

From a slow beginning our bingo is now a great success.  Our profits average more than $1,000 per night.  All of these profits are donated to the Fire Department.  We now have a computerized bingo machine and television monitors to verify the winning cards.  Our payouts in bingo each week average from $2,200 - $2,700; in addition, we pay out over $2,000 in pull ticket games.

Members who have worked most bingo games since our games began: Edith Cross, Lewis Cross, and Peggy Webb.  Our most faithful bingo caller is Douglas Bennett.  We need to have at least ten people each week to provide the kitchen and game help.  Some weeks we come up short, but most times there are enough members who also play to help out.