Moonshiners Raise Money for Va. Fire Department
Aug. 20--Tim Smith is known for his overalls and booney hat, but in the meeting room at the Climax Volunteer Fire Department the wall is covered in pictures of Smith in uniform.
Smith, the star of the reality television show "Moonshiners" on the Discover Channel, also works as the chief of the Climax fire department and he often tours the country raising money for other community fire departments since gaining national notoriety.
On Saturday, he and the rest of the "Moonshiners" cast had a fundraiser at the Climax Fire Department, which survives almost entirely on donations. They also receive grants from Pittsylvania County for trucks and equipment, but the rest of the facility is from money they raised themselves.
Smith has been a part of the fire station 14 years and has been the fire chief for seven of those years. He also was a first responder in the military. So using his new-found fame to raise money for these emergency services is something he is passionate about.
When Smith was 16 years old, his house burned down and he lost everything he had. So he knows the importance of having someone on the end of the line when calling for help.
On Saturday groups of people trickled into the Climax station to take pictures with Smith and other cast members -- his son, J.T. Smith, and Steve Tickle. They also have plenty of "Moonshiners" goodies for sale -- the most popular of which is suitably the collapsible shot glasses.
Tickle, who showed up in a shirt reading "Tickle for President," said they still hear from a lot of fans on the popular show that first aired last year, and the group travels all over the nation to market the "Moonshiners" brand. But Smith is a particular fan of raising money for community fire departments since his work at the Climax station.
He said he sold more than $500 worth of Climax Fire Department T-shirts in one community in Indiana and he appreciates the common bond his shares with other people in this line of work.
But if there is an emergency some people have been surprised to see the star of a reality show coming to help out.
"All the law enforcement knows who I am," said Smith. "They all want autographs."
Even after the show, Smith and the rest of the group have gone back to their day jobs and life in Climax, but now they have to travel a lot more doing marketing and promotions.
However, sitting in the fire station and playing corn hole seems to be where the group is most comfortable.
A second season of "Moonshiners" will be coming up this fall. Show times aren't set but Smith said it will be a "bigger show" with "a lot more characters" since the show was so popular the first time around.
To donate to the Climax Volunteer Fire Department, visit climaxvfd.com
Copyright 2012 - Danville Register & Bee, Va.
