Roaring back to life and moving, the Lumby fire truck project is on track to participate in the Dec. 2 Lumby Christmas light up parade.

"It is 100 per cent drivable. We are all set. We will 100 per cent be in the parade," says an excited Gary McLaughlin.

While restoring the 1947 American LaFrance fire truck has been a labour of love for the community of Lumby, McLaughlin has been the driving force to bring it back to life.

"People are believing in it," says McLaughlin. "We are excited. To go from where we started, never in a million years did we think it would ever be as successful as it is."

The truck was found abandoned in a field in Fintry and eventually brought back to Lumby where it has been restored and is now about to be celebrated.

 McLaughlin says they will have a special surprise for the parade as one of the firefighters who used to work with the fire truck will be on hand. 

"We are going to have some of the veteran firefighters on board and it will be on hand Dec. 2."

Over the course of the past few months, the firetruck has taken on a life of its own, even attracting donations and letters from people far removed from the Village of Lumby.

"We received a wonderful email from a lady named Kim, and she is a  big-pro first responder, and she has no connection to Lumby whatsoever but believes in the project and thought it was a great story and donated $500 out of her own pocket to the restoration," explained McLaughlin. 

The support holds extra meaning for McLaughlin and his family.  He works in the RCMP and his wife is a Lumby Firefighter. 

"We obviously have a vested interest in promoting the first responders," he says. "It is great to see the community support." 

The Lumby Christmas light up parade goes Saturday, Dec. 2 beginning at 4:00 p.m.

From there, McLaughlin hopes to have more work completed in time for the Vernon Winter Carnival parade in February. 

Photo: Gary McLaughlin