Dewey firefighters break fundraising record

By Brandi Makuski

Firefighters in Dewey have broken another fundraising record.

Hundreds turned out for the 8th annual Upper Midwest Power Boat Association contest, which held boat races in July and August as a platform for the fire department’s annual fundraiser.

Fire Chief Brian Lepper said about a dozen members from the department were on hand to cook and serve food and sell raffle tickets. It’s one of the main fundraisers for the department, which has about 25 members and an annual budget of roughly $26,000.

Last year, the department raised a little over $12,000. Between the two summer events of 2023, the department raised $15,499.52, Lepper said.

Sarah Krause, a sales and customer service manager for C&D Hospitality, said the boat races are one of the campground’s largest events of the year. C&D Hospitality owns and operates Bullheads, the adjoining River’s Edge Campground and waterpark, Tiki Beach Bar & Grill, also in Dewey, and other similar businesses in central Wisconsin.

Lepper said the funds would go into the department’s supplement operating budget for uses to be determined.