Whether it’s dodgeball, a prom for adults or a barbecue, the Bellflower Volunteer Fire Protection District is finding ways to help residents in the Bellflower community stay connected.

The fire district recently launched a community outreach project that will include several events. Its first event will be the Cook-Off BBQ, which is scheduled for June 1 at the firehouse at 211 S. Main Street in Bellflower.

A vendor fair and a car/bike cruise-in will also be held at the BBQ.

Chief Paul Eveland said the fire district first talked about putting together a community outreach project two years ago.

“This has been a tight-knit community,” he said. “They’ve always been behind our fire department. It seems like over the years, they don’t know any of us anymore. All of the older firemen are gone. So we’re trying to give back to the kids and basically get the community pulled back together.”

Besides the BBQ, a dodgeball tournament, a trivia night, a chili cook-off, an adults-only prom, movies at the firehouse and fun days at the park are among the other events the Bellflower fire district is looking to put together. Also, the firehouse will be open at least one weekend a month so community residents can meet the members of the fire department.

“Everybody gets to know who the firefighters are,” said Lisa Eveland, who is Paul’s wife and a member of the fire district. “Maybe not everybody knows who the firefighters are. They’ll get to know them and meet them instead of meeting them at a time of need. You can meet them anytime.”

There are more than 20 members in the district. Alex Clark is the main person in charge of the outreach project.

“Between Lisa, Alex, me and 4-5 other firemen, we decided that we need to get this started now,” Paul said. “ Instead of working in stages here in the office trying to figure out how we’re going to do it and what we’re going to do, we decided to just put something together and get it going.”

The Evelands showed some community pride during the holidays as they participated in an adopt-a-family program. Paul said Lisa did plenty of shopping in Montgomery, Lincoln and St. Charles counties.

“Lisa put all of that together,” Paul said “In about two weeks, we adopted a family two weeks before Christmas.”

For more information about the outreach project, contact Clark at 636-359-0608.