The Sonoita-Elgin Fire District commemorated 20 years of service to the community with a birthday celebration on Monday at the district’s station house in Sonoita.
Mark Navarro of LifeNet Air Ambulance flew in for the celebration. (Photos by Dave Lumia) 
Dr. Rebecca Reyes and her pooch visits with firefighters Estevan Reynosa, Lucas Olkiewicz and Ismael Pacheco. (Photo by Dave Lumia) 
Chief Marc Meredith thanks the community and fire district board for their support. (Photo by Dave Lumia) 
Fire chief Marc Meredith. (Photo by Dave Lumia) 
Administrative assistant Tricia Flaherty gets a round of applause. (Photo by Dave Lumia) 
Patagonia Volunteer Fire and Rescue Chief Zay Hartigan and Rural Metro Chief Karl Isselhard visit with Marc Meredith. (Photo by Dave Lumia) 
Attendees had an opportunity to meet district personnel and were treated to station tours, treats and goodie bags. (Photo by Dave Lumia)
The celebration featured visits from Santa Cruz and Pima County government officials, neighboring fire departments and hospital officials, station tours and displays of equipment and apparatus. And, of course, no birthday party would be complete without cake, snacks for goody bags for attendees.
In brief remarks, chief Marc Meredith thanked the community and district’s board of directors for their support and spoke proudly of the district’s evolution, which began as an informal effort of local ranchers in the 1940s; growing into the all-volun