JAYMEE HODGES

Westwood Volunteer Fire Department

Westwood Planning board

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Editor's note:  This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

 

I was born here in Westwood. I just have a love for the community and a love for the townspeople and it's rewarding to serve in whatever capacity I can.   

 

I started volunteering for the Fire Department back in 1972 when I turned 18.. My father was a volunteer in the fire department and at that time, the fire department also ran the ambulance and he was always volunteering there. He volunteered at church, he volunteered with the Masons. My mom was always volunteering and doing various tasks and I kind of grew up in that, that flavor, if you will, of just giving yourself to the community and contributing wherever you could have always wanted to be a fireman, and it allowed me the opportunity to become a fireman.  I'm just starting my 49th and I still enjoy every bit of it.

 

I was also asked to be a Fire Department representative on the planning board and that was 30 years ago. I've stayed on the planning board and enjoyed it!  

 

My tip to people looking to volunteer is to just step forward and offer whatever you can contribute or in whatever capacity you'd like to because there's a job for everybody. And there's plenty of jobs to be done and we'd always welcome anybody, you know, in any of these areas.  I try following our forefathers –  I believe I understand today why they were so happy when other younger people would get involved to try to keep the community what it is. It's a community that when people move here they really enjoy and they like to be a part of it. So it just makes you feel good.

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