A little bread along with thin cuts of turkey, ham or salami; a few slices of cheese; and a dab of mayo has helped the women of the New Columbus Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary raise a lot of dough for the New Columbus Fire Company over the years.

The women of the auxiliary used the winning combination of meats and cheeses to sell thousands of these delectable deli creations during their monthly hoagie sales, held on the third Tuesday of each month at the fire hall. Each hoagie costs $3.50, with proceeds from the sales given to the fire company at the end of the year.On Monday evening, the officers of the Ladies Auxiliary presented the fire company with the fruits of their labor a check for $10,000. The money helps offset the costs of operating the company.Gerry McConnon, auxiliary president, said they have given back to the fire company for at least two decades, if not more.Audrey Damiano, auxiliary treasurer, said the women do this because "that's what we're here for, to help the fire company."Liz Mele, vice president of the auxiliary, added that this is the fourth year the auxiliary has raised and given a $10,000 donation to the fire company. Prior to that, donations of $5,000 or more were given annually.Jim Nardozzi, fire chief and treasurer of the fire company, said that the money will be used to help cover the company's nearly $7,000 insurance bills and estimated $4,000 heating oil bill.He thanked the women for their kindness and support.Don Schlier, assistant fire chief and secretary, added that this annual donation helps the company protect the borough by keeping the department in operation."It's a big help," Schlier said, noting that it helps cover bills and updating equipment.The men commended the women for their dedication to the fire company and to the New Columbus community, because without this donation, the volunteers would need to do more fundraisers. Currently, the fire company holds monthly breakfasts and an annual fund drive to raise money to cover costly operating expenses.In addition to operating costs, the annual donations have also helped cover the cost of painting the interior of the building, installing a new exhaust system in the NCFC firetruck garage, and covering some of the cost to build the new garage.