BRISTOL — This autumn the Bristol Fire Department recognized a couple of local businesses for their longtime support.
Desabrais Dry Cleaning, owned and operated by Lucie and Steve Noble, and R&L Rubbish, owned and operated by Richard Rheaume and Louis Poirier, have “truly gone above and beyond for the town of Bristol and their fire department,” said Bristol Fire Chief Brett LaRose.
“Desabrais has been providing dry cleaning services at no cost to the department for as long as I can remember,” LaRose explained. “As the department uniform coordinator I can tell you I have personally been working with them for at least the past 10 years keeping the department class-A uniforms in crisp and clean condition.
“R & L Rubbish has been providing rubbish and recycling services to the department since the closure of the town’s waste management facilities,” LaRose continued. “The department moved into the town’s new fire station in 2016 and R&L has been hauling away our waste at no cost to the town since that time.”
LaRose awarded each business a “Challenge Coin,” a special memento reserved only for Bristol firefighters, life and honorary members or individuals or businesses making significant contributions to the department. The coins are embedded in special plaques custom made by Honorary Asst. Chief Peter Coffey, who, in addition to being a member of the Bristol selectboard is also a talented woodworker.
“Over the years many wonderful people and businesses have been and continue to be very generous to the Fire Department,” LaRose said. “Whether it be in the form of a donation or a service, I am always in awe of how generous people can be. The Fire Department wants to ensure these individuals and businesses receive the recognition they are so deserving of.”