The volunteer tradition was the focus Saturday of a banquet honoring the Slatington Hose Company No. 1 as members celebrated 100 years of volunteer firefighting in the community.

During the program, Mayor Paul Handwerk read a congratulatory message to the firefighters from President Ronald Reagan; state Sen. David Brightbill and state Rep. Paul Semmel presented citations on behalf of Gov. Dick Thornburgh; and a watercolor painting of the Slatington fireman’s statue by Schnecksville artist William Persa was unveiled.

The company was founded on Aug. 5, 1885, and incorporated in December of that year, making it Slatington’s oldest fire company.