Half of a century is a mighty long time.
A lot of history and growth can be packed into those five decades. And it should be celebrated.
That's just part of what the Fort Allen Volunteer Fire Company in Hempfield, Westmoreland County's largest municipality, just did.
The 46-member group has grown from putting out barn fires to being one of the mainstays called to accidents on Interstate 70.
Fort Allen is celebrating 50 years and along with that, they hosted the Westmoreland County Firemen's Association Convention, which ended Sunday. That's fitting because volunteerism and particularly volunteer firefighters are the backbone of our communities.