Winners of the Cumberland Toyota Charity Challenge (from left), James Allen King, Chief of East 52 Volunteer Fire Department and Chad Long, Assistant Chief of East 52 Volunteer Fire Department; Karen McMeekin, Founder/Director of A Time 4 Paws; Tammy Depperschmidt, Mustard Seed Ranch; Brandon Hall, Cumberland Toyota General Manager; Mary Ellen Parsons, Caring for Carcinoid Foundation; Gaye Ann Hill, Miss Fabulous Pageant, and Wayne Burkett, Marketing Director for Cumberland Auto.

CELINA-East 52 Volunteer Fire Department was one of five charities that received $2,500 each for winning the Cumberland Toyota Charity Challenge Facebook Contest.

Members of the East 52 Fire Department worked diligently to campaign for the votes daily because winning the contest meant that the department would earn $2,500 more towards paying off a $11,000 truck repair loan that had to be taken out earlier in the year because of the water pump malfunctioning in their 2006 Elite Fire Engine.

“I am very proud of the efforts that the department’s volunteers have taken to pay off this loan as soon as possible,” said East 52 Fire Chief, James King. “We are also very appreciative in our community’s support in the form of donations, participating in fundraisers, and by voting for us in the Charity Challenge.”

Facebook friends of Cumberland Toyota, located in Cookeville, were given the option to nominate their favorite 501(c) charity to participate in the first round of the contest, and the top 10 charities with the most votes in the first round were moved to the second round. During the second round, the number of votes were reset, and the 5 charities with the top votes after the end of the round won the contest.

More information about the East 52 Volunteer Fire Department can be found on their Facebook page.  The department also has a fundraiser webpage found at http://www.gofundme.com/3mbj2g.