Allquist estate provides funds to Fire and Rescue, YMCA MCA

RED OAK — Two local organizations recently received over $80,000 total from the estate of Doris Allquist.

The Red Oak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association/Inc. received $75,521.52 two equal distributions to both the Red Oak Fire Department and the Red Oak Rescue Unit, while the Montgomery County Family YMCA received $12,760.76.

Doris moved to Red Oak in 1950 when she was transferred to the Montgomery Ward store. In 1952 she married Harold Allquist, and lived on the Allquist farm east of Red Oak. He predeceased her in 1995, and she died Jan. 6, 2011.

These funds will be used as part of the Red Oak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association’s free smoke detector program with the goal of having a working smoke detector on every floor of every Red Oak home. Smoke detectors are now avaialbe at the fire department.

The YMCA will use their donations to help purchase a new control heating/cooling thermostat.

This past August, the YMCA received $25,000 from the Allquist estate, and those funds were invested into the Y’s long term maintenance endowment program.

YMCA Executive Director, Nick Zimmer, said when making a gift to the endowment program, one becomes a member of the Y’s Heritage Club for life and are invited to the Y's Annual Fall Heritage Club Dinner to celebrate the work of many people who sustain the cause of having YMCA services in Southwest Iowa.