The Ladies Auxiliary of the Orchard Beach Volunteer Fire Department was organized on October 2, 1936 by Mrs. Maude Eades and Mrs. Frances Morgan.  The first meeting was called to order at 8:30pm on October 5^th of that year.  The first business to be taken care of was the election of officers.  The results were as follows:

President:  Mrs. Maude Eades,  Vice President: Mrs. Charles Squires, Treasurer:  Mrs. M Gunther, Secretary: Mrs. Mary Summers

Dues were 10 cents and the membership limit was 70 members with a waiting list.  It was decided to hold card parties after each Monday night meeting, and a “Stingy Box” was set up for the ladies to seet some money aside to be used for social events.   At the November 1936 meeting, a motion was made to hold a raffle on a ton of coal which netted a profit of $4.  The Ladies also held raffles on permanent waves (a perm) for 2 cents a chance,  a rod and reel, and even a boat! 

In 1938, the Auxiliary joined the Anne Arundel County Firemens association, and the next year, in 1939, joined the Maryland State Firemens Association.

In 1954 a motion was made to have uniforms made for the ladies to wear when they marched in parades.  The uniform would be a  white skirt and blouse, accented by a blue cape with gold trim, and an overseas hat.  A fund to purchase these uniforms was established and the marching unit won many trophies and cash prizes while travelling long distances to appear in parades.   

In addition to all the bingos and raffles, public dinners were held by the auxiliary.  The ladies would meet to prepare food for the dinners, and as only fresh vegetables, meat and poultry were used, many hours of work were spent getting to know each other.  The crab cake dinners were a local favorite and attended by many.  Other fundraisers included a trip to Gunthers Brewery, and selling vanilla extract and baking soda to housewives in the community.

Through the efforts of the Auxiliary, the ladies were able to help raise funds for an addition to the firehouse on Hilltop Road and the purchase of 3 lots across from the firehouse on Seabreeze drive for only $2,000.  This would be the location of the new hall which still, to this day, stands as a community center for the town of Orchard Beach.  In 1986, the Auxiliary celebrated our 50^th anniversary by honoring Mrs. Mary Eades who was a charter member and still quite active.

In 1988, when the station was moved from the Hilltop Road location to the Solley Road location, the decision was made to hold a weekly bingo in the new hall.  Over the past twenty years, this has proven to be our most reliable fundraiser and we’ve been able to provide substantial sums of money to the fire department to aid in the purchase of equipment and apparatus. 

Though we were established 73 years ago, our passion for the community and for our firefighters still runs as strong as the day we were created.