Editor’s Note: This continues a series of monthly articles celebrating pride in our town and its surroundings shown through the experience of residents and organizations.
By Jane Schuchardt
Special to The Elgin Review
When it comes to community service, Elgin’s Jim Kittelson, though soft-spoken and easy-going, gets fired up, real fired up.
“It’s in my blood,” Kittelson, 70, exclaimed as he leaned back in a folding chair in Elgin’s fire hall just off main street. On his latest birthday, June 21st, he was pretty much forced to hand over his Elgin Volunteer Fire Department chief title due to a mandatory, age-limiting insurance consideration.
He’s served Elgin and vicinity fighting home, farm, tractor, grass, vehicle, you-name-it fires since 1981, taking over the chief spot 18 years ago. To put this dedicated service into perspective, he’s been on the scene more than a third of the time the local fire department has been in existence.
For the rest of the story, see this week’s Elgin Review.
