The West Penn Fire Co. No. 1 will be able to purchase uniforms thanks to a sizable donation from the Andreas Sporting Club.

On Wednesday, the club turned over $4,000 to the volunteer company.

“We are very grateful for the contribution,” said company President Thomas Wellington.

According to Wellington, he and a mother of one of the company’s junior firefighters were having a conversation when he mentioned that the company had been hoping to get uniforms to wear to formal events such as funerals, parades and ceremonies.

Wellington didn’t think much else of the discussion. But the woman, Stephanie Krause, would take that fire company wish back to the Andreas Sporting Club where she’s a trustee.

Board members decided that they’d set aside funds from club raffles and games, then gift it to the fire company.

“Our goal at the club is to do things to help the community,” explained Barb Knappenberger, club treasurer. “We need to contribute to the betterment of the area. If there is a fire, we know they’re going to come. If we need something, we know they’re going to come.”

Knappenberger said the club donates to a nonprofit each year. For example, it turned over funds in 2023 to Boy Scout Troop 756 of Andreas, which meets at the club.

It also hosts family-oriented events, such as a kids’ fishing derby, Easter Egg Hunt, kids’ .22 shoot and Christmas party.

“The better we do we do in the fundraisers or the raffles, the more we can help the community,” Knappenberger said.