Hook & Ladder firefighters were treated to dinner by a young culinary guest on December 14, thanks to a community service project at Hawley School.

Like all of her fourth grade counterparts at Hawley School, Julia Tischio was tasked about six weeks ago with picking a project that would benefit someone in the community.

Students had options that included collecting toys and/or food for a local cat shelter, running a food drive, and running a coat or clothing drive. Julia picked cooking for firefighters for a few reasons.

“I thought it was a good challenge,” she said December 17. “I don’t think anyone else picked that, which I like because it makes me feel like no one was copying me, and I wasn’t copying anyone else.”

Julia, who enjoys cooking, thought the assignment “was a good fit,” she added.

She planned a full meal for the fire company and then on Sunday, December 13, she prepped as much as she could of the ham, chicken soup, salad, potatoes, corn, baked beans, and red velvet cupcakes that were served at the 45 Main Street firehouse the following night.

About two dozen members of Hook & Ladder enjoyed Monday’s dinner, Julia and her mother both said. Photos taken during the meal show a small crowd of officers and firefighters enjoying their dinner in the bay of their historic fire station.

Among those enjoying the dinner was Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Ray Corbo.

“Dinner was awesome,” Chief Corbo said December 21. “Everything tasted good, and we were really glad that she picked us.”

Once a community service project is completed, students are also tasked with creating a poster or slideshow so that they can show what they accomplished. Julia was planning last week to create a poster with some of the photos from Monday’s dinner, and notes including the menu and observations from her time at the firehouse.

Julia is pretty sure the meal was enjoyed by the firefighters.

“There wasn’t a lot left over,” she said. “And some of them went back for seconds.”