Goochland Fire-Rescue plans Company 5 5k fundraiser at Tucker Park

Goochland Fire-Rescue put its Company 5 needs on the course at Tucker Park, using the Hometown Hero 5K to raise money for support and renovation costs at the newly renovated Station 5 in the Courthouse area. The race was set up as a run-or-walk event, aimed at supporters as much as serious runners, with a 8:00 a.m. EDT start and a $30 entry fee.

The setting mattered as much as the distance. Tucker Park at Maidens Crossing, 1300 Maidens Road in Maidens, sits along 1,200 feet of the James River and includes a playground, a non-motorized boat ramp, a one-mile walking and exercise trail, an outdoor classroom, interpretive signage and the CarMax Cares Outdoor Amphitheater. The route along the river gave the fundraiser a visible local backdrop, but the money was tied to a concrete public-safety need back in Goochland Courthouse.

Station 5, also known as the Courthouse Company 5 Fire Station, was established in 1958 and finished renovations in 2024. The work added new offices, a kitchen, a day room, a meeting room, a gym and individual bunk rooms. Goochland County marked the project with an open house and ribbon-cutting, and the station was later dedicated in October 2024 in honor of Chief Fred T. “Tommy” Carter, Jr. The fundraiser's proceeds were designated for the station’s support and renovation costs, reinforcing that even after a major upgrade, a fire-rescue building still requires local investment to stay functional and ready.

The event also reflected how Goochland’s volunteer system operates. The Goochland County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association says its stations are supported by local citizens and county government, and the 5K turned that idea into a direct ask for community backing. Organizers listed standard race amenities including hydration, refreshments and a medal, turning the fundraiser into a practical show of support for the men and women who answer calls from the Courthouse station and across the county.