The South Bristol Fire Department will call the latest addition to its fleet “Annie’s Pride” in memory of Ann Wilder Stratton.
A one-time South Bristol resident, Stratton left about $9 million to the town in her will.
The South Bristol Board of Selectmen manages the fund, now worth more than $10 million, and the town uses a percentage of the earnings to offset taxes and fund annual scholarships for every resident college student.
This year, the earnings also paid for the majority of the $208,000 truck, a 2011 E-1 class A pumper
Stratton, a social worker, left similarly substantial amounts to the Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier (Louisiana) and Wells College.
In 1998, she donated Stratton (Hodgdon’s) Island to the Damariscotta River Association. For years thereafter, until her death at the age of 80, she sent a donation to South Bristol in lieu of the property tax on the island.
South Bristol Fire Chief Mitch Mitchell said he and the selectmen made a mutual decision to dedicate the truck to Stratton’s memory.
Stratton’s philanthropy has put the department “in a great position,” Mitchell said. “Thanks, Ann.”
“We’re hopeful this will last us at least 20 years,” Mitchell said, referring to the truck, which was officially put into service after an Oct. 25 training session.
The truck has a 1000-gallon water tank and a 30-gallon foam tank (the foam mixes with water at a rate of one percent) and pumps 1250 gallons per minute at maximum capacity.
Pemaquid Vinyl “did a great job” lettering “Annie’s Pride” on the front fenders and “In Memory of Ann Wilder Stratton” on the rear paneling, Mitchell said.
