‘Every little bit helps’: Small Nebraska community doing big fundraising for new ambulance

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A small community is doing some big fundraising for a new ambulance.

Valparaiso Fire and Rescue has an ambulance over 30 years old, and a new one costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

With the community’s help, they hope to raise the money by the end of the year.

“They know that this is for them,” Fire Chief Skyler Leggett said. “They know that we’re here for them and that the future of this department depends on this ambulance to provide our service for them.”

For many, an ambulance is priceless, as it helps save countless lives every year.

But there is an expensive price tag when it comes time to upgrade.

“$300,000 just barely covers the cost of the ambulance itself,” Leggett said. “The other $100,000 will help update the medical life-saving equipment that we carry on the ambulance.”

The volunteer fire department has two ambulances, and the one they are trying to replace is from 1991.

Official guidelines suggest that ambulances shouldn’t be over 20 years old, and Valparaiso’s is 10 years past that.

They received a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services for $150,000 and are tasked with raising the rest of the money themselves.

“We have passed some bonds in years past to acquire an engine and this rescue truck behind me,” Leggett said. “We just didn’t feel it was right to tax the members of the community by putting another bond on another apparatus.”

The fire department has hosted several pancake feeds, golf events , and sand volleyball tournaments.

One of the fundraisers going on right now is a car giveaway. Tickets are $50, and you can enter to win a 2023 Ford Bronco Sport.

The tickets are available until midnight on Saturday. You can enter the drawing on our ‘Links We Mentioned‘ page.

Leggett says they are just over the $300,000 mark and are receiving incredible support from the community.

“With a community of only 600 people, this community has outpoured more than enough for us. We know that they’re here behind us. Every little bit helps.”