CONMEE — At first blush, a relationship between watermelon and firefighting seems slightly obscure unless one focuses on their shared connection with water.
Firefighters need it to put out fires, and watermelon is more than 90 per cent H20.
So perhaps it's no coincidence a fundraiser for Conmee's fire department is set for Aug. 3 — International Water Melon Day.
Organizer Jason Lavallee said when he and his wife were searching for a suitable weekend to hold the event, a day celebrating the juicy fruit fit the bill for a fun party theme.
What emerged was the Water Melon Crawl.
"I've gone all out on this event and even got a whole bunch of great door prizes," Lavallee, a local caterer, enthused online in a social-media post.
In addition to fried chicken and ribs, the event at Conmee's community centre is to feature cocktails inspired by the red-fleshed melon.
While it's fairly accepted that most of the world's watermelon is grown in China, some jurisdictions — such as the State of Arkansas — claim to produce the sweetest-tasting variety.
One thing that's clear is that Lavallee knows a thing or two about tasty food.
After he retired from the Canadian Navy, he studied culinary management at Thunder Bay's Confederation College, then worked as a restaurant sous-chef.
He started his catering business earlier this year after he kept receiving requests to provide the vittles for various events.
"I try to use local ingredients whenever I can," he said on Monday.
Tickets for the Aug. 3 fire department fund-raiser are available at the Conmee Community Centre, as well as various businesses in Thunder Bay and outside the city, including Floyd's Glass, Nolalu's Aunt Sarah's and Gillies' Green Acres Variety.
Conmee's fire department, meanwhile, continues to try and recruit new volunteers. Application forms are available on the township's website at conmee.com.
The Chronicle Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
