“With tourism and travel now recovering from the pandemic, we thought it was high time to start giving back to the communities that helped us survive during the crisis,” said Todd Burbage, Blue Water’s CEO. “The Greenbackville Volunteer Fire Department has a long history of defending the Eastern Shore of Virginia, home to several of our Blue Water properties, so we are glad we can give back to them for all of the work they have done keeping our guests, friends, and neighbors safe.”
As the main fire department in the Greenbackville area, the Greenbackville Volunteer Fire Department has been protecting the southernmost portion of the lower Eastern Shore since 1956. The department has grown significantly since then and has become a cornerstone of the community in its many years of service.
“We greatly appreciate the generosity of Blue Water and their CEO, Todd Burbage,” said Barry Outten, Fire Chief at Greenbackville VFD. “We rely on the generosity of our friends and neighbors and businesses like Blue Water to keep us operating. These donations go a long way to help the Greenbackville VFD continue to serve the community.”
Blue Water’s CEO Todd Burbage poses with Barry Outten, Fire Chief at Greenbackville Volunteer Fire Department, after donating land with a value of $1.1 million to the department.
The land donation involves two parcels of land within the town of Greenbackville. The first includes the harbor, The Crusty Crab, and the marsh beyond that restaurant. The second is on the other side of town consisting of a few acres of land which will serve as a financial investment for the fire department. The GVFD has decided to give a portion of the harbor property to Accomack County so they can repair, repave and provide additional parking near the boat ramp. The GVFD will continue to lease the land to the Crusty Crab and operations of this beloved restaurant will continue on as usual.
“This donation initiative is a unique opportunity to show how much we value the communities where our properties are located,” Burbage said. “Greenbackville is home to incredible people and one of the best fire departments we have ever worked with. We’re excited about supporting initiatives and charities like this across the country as we continue our Blue Water Gives Back tradition.”
More information on the Greenbackville Volunteer Fire Department can be found here. Learn more about Blue Water at BWDC.com.
