Marketing &  Public Relations

Transitions Presentation: Our funeral directors are available to speak to your organization. Please contact us to discuss our presentation Transitions which covers what happens when a death occurs and the necessary steps that need to be taken. 

Funeral Service: We also are available to speak with youth-based groups to young adults that are considering becoming a funeral director.

If you are interested in having a member of our team present to your community group, please contact us at 717-939-2344 or email lisa.wiedeman@wiedemanfh.com.

It is of utmost importance for us to give back to the community that we serve. We strive to take an active part in the community and give back to the families we are privileged to serve. Currently, we support the community-based programs listed below.

• American Lung Association
• ARC of Dauphin County
• Aspire Suicide Prevention Task Force
• Bishop McDevitt High School
• Borough of Steelton
• Central Dauphin School District
• Centenary United Methodist Church
• Harrisburg Choral Society
• Harrisburg Rotary Club
• Highmark Caring Place
• Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church
• Hospice of Central Pennsylvania
• Leukemia Society
• PA SAFE KIDS Coalition
• Paxtang Fire Company
• Prince of Peace Roman Catholic Parish
• Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
• Ryan Mohn Foundation
• South Central Highway Safety
• Spring Creek Nursing Home
• St. Ann’s Byzantine Church
• St. Catherine Laboure Roman Catholic Church
• St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church
• St. Margaret Mary Roman Catholic Church
• Saint Nicholas Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church
• Steelton Fire Department
• Steelton Highspire High School
• Steelton Midget League
• Swatara Youth Football League
• Youth for Christ
• World Surgical Foundation
  

Hospice of Central Pennsylvania is a non-profit organization Hospice serving our region. As part of our support, we host their volunteer training program for incoming Hospice Volunteers. LEARN MORE

The World Surgical Foundation provides free surgical services to children and their families in third world countries across the globe.

The World Surgical Foundation was instrumental in saving the life of a child in the Wiedeman Family. A clinic in Cooper’s name will be established in Honduras to help other children. LEARN MORE

On June 15, 2020, the Wiedeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., was presented with the former Goodwill Fire Company #1 Enhaut Fire Bell, which was mounted on their apparatus since 1903. 

It is our honor to become the permanent home for this historic bell, which will be used for firefighter funerals. Below is a history of the bell as well as photos.

The following information is the history of the fire company polished chrome bell that served three (3) different pieces of apparatus dating from April 28, 1922 - November 30, 2008.

The bell, with pictures of the three (3) pieces of apparatus on which it served, has been restored to its original beauty, and is mounted on a wooden base along with a plaque depicting the years of service of the Goodwill Fire Co. #1 of Enhaut. The compiled data has been recovered from past fire company ledgers. It is as follows: 

At the December 5, 1921, regular monthly meeting with President Grant N. Miller presiding, the fifty-six (56) members present listened to as sealed bids from seven (7) fire truck manufacturers were read. After a straw vote, the majority voted to purchase from the Hahn Motor Truck Co. of Hamburg, Pa., the company’s first motorized piece of fire apparatus.       

At a special meeting held on Saturday, January 7, 1922, at 7:30pm with nineteen (19) members present, a motion made by Howard Grove & 2nd by Dr. D.W. Schaffner was so moved and agreed to officially make the purchase. It was a 500-gallon Triple Combination Pump, Hose and Chemical Fire Engine for a cost of $7,750.00, which was paid for in cash as per the agreement in the specifications.

As production began, steps were being taken to prepare for the delivery of the new truck which was to be sometime in April 1922.

At the March 6, 1922, regular monthly meeting, a driver and four (4) assistants were appointed to learn to operate the new motor truck. A special meeting was held on March 22, 1922, and hose was ordered with the delivery to be on April 8th, just prior to the arrival of the new fire truck.

At the April 3, 1922, regular monthly meeting, on a motion it was agreed to postpone the holding of the bazaar until April 28-29 to coincide with the arrival of the new fire truck.

At the fire company bazaar held on April 28-29, 1922, the dedication of the new fire engine was held, and the truck was placed into service. For more than three (3) decades, the fire engine proudly protected & served the town of Enhaut and the surrounding communities. As it was nearing the end of its service life, the fire company knew it was time to replace the Hahn with a more modern piece of equipment. 

At the December 1, 1952, regular monthly meeting, Foster Salerno reported on the necessary paperwork that was needed to be submitted for a federal grant to pursue the purchase of a new fire engine.

On February 13, 1953, the officers of the company met with Mr. Mease, a representative from the Federal Civilian Defense, to explain the details of a grant.

At a special meeting held on February 15, 1953, a vote of 22 to 1 was in favor to pursue the purchase through the Federal Civilian Defense. The grant monies would be $6,500.00 and the members by a motion from Foster Salerno and 2nd by Hezzy Paull agreed to spend $5,500.00 for the balance of the new fire engine & additional equipment. A motion was made by Richard Speese and 2nd by Frank Fischer to borrow $5,000.00 from the bank for the new fire engine. The vote again was 22 to 1 in favor. It was from this point forward that production of the new fire engine would start.

 There were progress reports given during the production stage, and finally on November 1, 1954, the new fire engine was delivered and placed into service. It was a GMC 750gpm pumper with the total cost being $13,429.00.

At this point in time, there were now two (2) fire engines in the station and discussion on selling the 1922 Hahn had become more and more evident.

At the February 7, 1955, regular monthly meeting, the members voted to accept sealed bids and sell the 1922 Hahn.

At the April 4, 1955, regular monthly meeting, a bid was given by the Chambers Hill Fire Co. A motion by Anthony Hrestak, 2nd by Dan Zart, and agreed by the members present to sell the 1922 Hahn to the Chambers Hill Fire Co. for a cash price of $750.00. As per the truck selling chairman, Steve Szekeres, it was decided to retain possession of the bell, which had rung proudly for 33 years.

It was not until the November 7, 1960, regular monthly meeting that the foreman, Foster Salerno, reported that the bell from the 1922 Hahn will now be mounted onto the 1954 GMC. It was from this date until May 8, 1982, the bell again rang for another 21 ½ years. At the May 1982 regular monthly meeting, the members agreed to sell the 1954 GMC to Steve Smedley for $675.00 cash. Again, the bell was retained by the company and placed into storage.

With the arrival of the newly placed into service 1982 FMC 1000gpm pumper along with the 1975 Dodge SWAB Rescue, these two (2) pieces now served the town of Enhaut & Swatara Township for another eleven (11) years until it was decided to downsize to one (1) piece of equipment that would serve as fire suppression & rescue capabilities combined. The new piece would be a refurbished 1981 Mack CF and designated as Rescue 42. Again, the bell was called to active duty and mounted onto the new piece and the rig was placed into service on May 30, 1993. It was from this date until November 30, 2008, that the bell again rang for another 15 ½ years. The Rescue, having given 15+ years of service life, was put Out of Service and replaced with another unit. It was again at this point that the bell was removed and put into storage.

At the quarterly Co. 42 meeting held on July 16, 2019, members Albert Matjasic Jr. and George Raudensky presented to the members present a project that was in the works to have the bell from the 1922 Hahn put back into a serviceable manner. A motion made by Frank Raudensky, 2nd by Robert Spandler, and so approved by the membership to follow through with the project. 

At the next quarterly meeting held on October 15, 2019, the mounted bell along with the display plaque was shown to the members present. 

Albert & George suggested to the members present that we approach a business for future display of the bell.

At the quarterly meeting held on January 21, 2020, Albert Matjasic Jr. told the members present that he contacted the Wiedeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., to discuss displaying our bell on their premises. On June 15, 2020, Albert & George met with Mr. Dennis Wiedeman. A former volunteer firefighter himself, he was honored that the fire company wanted to display the bell at his business.

So as the bell now approaches its 99th birthday, let it toll loudly again when called upon for those who have served so proudly.