Fire Truck Campaign

Park Ridge Historical Society

721 N. Prospect Ave.
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847) 696-1973
info@parkridgehistorycenter.org

Dear Park Ridge Friends:

Thank you for your donation to the Pirsch Project to help us save and restore the original 1934 Park Ridge fire truck. This “Lil’ Pirsch” was originally made from a 1921 Park Ridge fire truck, so parts of the Lil’ Pirsch will soon be 100 years old! With your help, we will be able to make repairs and other safety improvements so that the fire truck will be ready for the upcoming Memorial Day Parade — this is our goal! Following mechanical and safety improvements, funds will then be used to restore the paint job to its original ‘fire engine red’ color and put ‘Park Ridge’ in gold leaf on the hood where it once was. We couldn’t do this without your help. Every single child, family, individual or business will have their name included on this Donor page. We will also enter the names of donors in a permanent register/log, which will be kept on board the fire truck forever in order to preserve those who helped restore this historic rescue vehicle. This is your fire truck! We invite you to join us in this exciting project.


– The Park Ridge Historical Society

Learn More

Donor Levels

Fire Commissioner (Top Donors)

Fire Chief ($1,000+ Donation)

Battalion Chief ($500+ Donation)

Captain ($250+ Donation)

Lieutenant ($100+ Donation)

Driver/Engineer ($50+ Donation)

Firefighter/Paramedic ($25+ Donation)

Firefighter in Training (5¢ - $25 Donation)

Our Donors

Thank you to all of our wonderful donors. Without you, we wouldn't be able to get this truck back on the road.

Fire Commissioner (Top Donors)

   Anonymous – Dedicated to all past and current Park Ridge firefighters

The Balzano Family

Bradley Skaja

Park Ridge Heritage Committee

Park Ridge Living Magazine

Park Ridge Professional Firefighters

The Ralph Bishop Family

Rick Biagi – Neal & McDevitt, LLC

Steve & Maria Mazza – Print Management Group, Inc.

Fire Chief ($1,000+ Donation)

Mrs. Ramona Bishop

Diane Bishop Hussey

Debbie Bishop

Brandon Hussey

Devin & Misty Hussey

The Brian Lazzaro Family

David & Elaine Loomis – Pickwick Theater

Jack McCloskey

Bryan Mercado of RE/MAX Properties Northwest – Park Ridge

Home Resources Restoration

Larry & Jan Skaja

Tara & Jon Taylor

Battalion Chief ($500+ Donation)

Paul and Pat Adlaf

The John Murphy Family

Matthew Palmer

Captain ($250+ Donation)

Jill Crocker

The Van De Carr Family

Cheryl Williams

Lieutenant ($100+ Donation)

Patty Brennan

Jeffrey & Donna Caudill

Randall & Conni Derifeld

John & Elizabeth Dorow

M.D. Eldridge

Nancy and Jim Frugoli

The Gentile Family

Raffia Gifts

The Krause Family

Jeffrey Lazzaro

Randi Lazzaro

Ryan Lazzaro

William Lazzaro

John & Bonnie Morell

The David O'Connor Family

In Memory of Warren Wade

Driver/Engineer ($50+ Donation)

Barbara Avery

Cynthia Bennett

Richard & Judith Dokmo

Margaret Holler

Scott Holst

Richard Kampwirth

Kathleen Koepke

Nathan Lazzaro

Emily Lazzaro

John Nommensen

Ken Mylander and Nancy Pytel

John Piltaver

Lori Russo

Benjamin Ryles

Sarah Ryles

Roger Shubert

Kathleen Sullivan

Firefighter/Paramedic ($25+ Donation)

Patty Beato

Carly Biggins

Hallie Gillespie

Logan Gillespie

Thomas & Barbara Kase

The Maurer Family

Everett McKinnis-Moscowitz

Elaine Pytel

James Pytel

Evan Sanchez

The Schmidt Family

Firefighter in Training (5¢ - $25 Donation)

Anonymous Faithful PRHS Member

Gary Banser Jr.

Margaret Bechtel

Debby Bryniarski

Thomas & William Burns

The Cesario Family

The Clark Family

Patricia Crisafulli

Delaney and Reese Dolezal

Mary Fitzgerald

Char Foss-Eggermann

Kevin Frede – Classic Cut's Owner

Brian Gentile

Mike Grant

Dan Hrab – Classic Cut's

Jeff Jensen Family

Reese Laborne

Barbara Lazzaro

The David Lazzaro Family

Angela Margaris

The Marino Family

Jack & Isla McNamara

Sam Mercado & Ben Mercado

Tim Merchant

Jack Murphy

Lance Northcutt

James O'Donnell

Maddie Parrino

Mackenzie Sebby

The Sniezek Family

Jim Sullivan (Dedicated to my grandparents)

The Wawczak Family

L. Werner

Mason Yan

Anonymous


In-kind Donations

AlphaGraphics

Fire Service, Inc. Naperville

Ed Zamora – Union Home Mortgage

Lin-Mar Towing & Recovery

MTL Upholstery – Matteo & Toni

Rob Kukla

Sir Speedy of Park Ridge

Dino & Sophia Vlahakis – Pickwick Theater


News & Updates

The First Ceremonial Fire Truck Donation

Dedicated to Firefighters William Ahrensfeld Sr., William Ahrensfeld Jr., and Robert Luebbe
View Full Story

Ralph Bishop, lifelong Park Ridge resident and former fire captain, passes away at 93

View Article

Ralph Bishop, lifelong Park Ridge resident and former fire captain, passes away at 93

View Article

After 40 years in Memphis, TN, the 1934 Pirsch/Darley Pumper has finally returned home to Park Ridge!

Video Credit:  Ellie Compton

Photo Gallery

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    Ralph Bishop, a former Park Ridge fire captain, stands next to a 1934 fire truck that once belonged to the Park Ridge Fire Department. (Brian OMahoney / Pioneer Press)

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    Park Ridge Historical Society Vice President Brian Lazzaro arranged to bring a historic 1934 pumper fire truck to the Brookdale Senior Living Community Tuesday for a reunion with 93-year-old retired fire captain Ralph Bishop on July 14, 2020. (Brian O'Mahoney/Pioneer Press)

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    Photo Credit: Dan Martin photo / Bill Friedrich Collection

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    Photo Credit: Bill Friedrich Collection

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    Photo Credit: Scott Holst

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    LinMar Towing – the Official Towing Sponsor of the Lil' Pirsch

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    LinMar Towing – the Official Towing Sponsor of the Lil' Pirsch

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    Lincoln show off his fire truck mask.

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  • Video Gallery

    Lil' Pirsch getting towed to the fire truck mechanic.

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