Tag Archives: Barbara Lang

Retro Fair Grab Bagging Balloon Lady & Buds

Sally Van Develde selling balloons at the Fair Haven Firemen's Fair Grab Bag Booth
Sally Van Develde selling balloons at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair Grab Bag Booth
Photo/FHFD

For decades there was what was referred to as The Grab Bag Booth at the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair. The booth was there for kids to get consolation prizes, featuring, of course, real brown paper grab bags full of goodies, that parents could buy if they didn’t win at the wheel games of chance. And there were balloons … and some fair ladies to keep the fair goodness going strong.

The Grab Bag Booth is now gone from the midway. At one point, for many years, my mom, Sally Van Develde was the chairwoman of the booth. This piece is an annual reprise to honor the booth’s goodness, the Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair and those things that never disappear like helium balloons into the dark sky … Memories of a special lady — my mom.

Growing up in Fair Haven with parents in the fire company, Fair Haven Firemen’s Fair time meant time spent inflating punch balls during the day and helium balloons at night.

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Retro FH First Aid & Fire Company Family: The Langs

By Elaine Van Develde

With the line officers in the Fair Haven First Aid Squad all women for 2016, we are reminded that it was not all that long ago that it was just men in the squad — really, until the 1980s.

Yet, there is another attribute of first aiders, among other emergency responders, that is worthy of mention. Many times, the calling to help the community is a family affair.

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