On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Hecktown Volunteer Ambulance Corps celebrated its 50th anniversary. The day started with an open house at Trinity Lutheran Church on Route 191 in Lower Nazareth Township.

Later that day the celebration moved to the church grounds, where the Allentown Municipal Band played music arranged to honor the vicitims of Sept. 11, 2001.

Church volunteers served everything from sausage sandwiches to funnel cake -- all to help raise money for the ambulance corps, which has been a part of the Lower Nazareth community for 50 years.

“We [the ambulance corps] used to be more like a family. We were all volunteer, but with some recent changes to regulations, and the economy being so rough, we’re having a hard time getting people who can volunteer,” said Sandy Mennick, a volunteer since 1985.

At the end of the night, the Allentown band played while fireworks illuminated the church's exterior.