YODER – The Yoder Community Center quickly filled up Friday night as residents gathered for the Yoder Fire Dinner and Speaker “Smokey” Event at 6:30 p.m.

The dinner featured a cash bar, silent auction and raffle items along with dinner and a special keynote speaker Jim “Smokey” West. West, a 7th Special Forces Group, airborne division, with the United States Army, spoke to those in attendance about overcoming adversity. 

Dinner began shortly after 6:30 p.m. with a brief welcome from Brent Anderson, Yoder Fire District President. Once dinner had wrapped up, Anderson welcomed West to the microphone. 

“This is Mr. Jim West. Jim 'Smokey' West,” Anderson said. “I’ve known Jim for a few years. We’re good friends.”

Anderson went on to explain some parts of West’s life history stating West was a veteran of hundreds of brutal street fights and confrontations. Anderson explained West was a tenth degree black blet and Grand Master in American Open Style Karate and he served as a combat instructor for the USSOCOM, training for Delta Force operators, special forces soldiers and Navy SEALs. Anderson also mentioned West was a Persian Gulf War Veteran. 

“I could go on and on about all of the things he has done but then we would be here all night and he wouldn’t have a chance to talk,” Anderson said. “A lot of people will ask him, ‘Where do you get the name Smokey?’ Well, when he was born, his house burned down and he was a little baby that was bundled up and he smelled like smoke so it just kind of stuck with him.”

West began speaking to the room full of fire fighters, law enforcement officers, military veteran and community members about his life and how he overcame being born into a world of violence.  

“I have probably done 10,000 speeches or talks in front of small groups just about everywhere,” West began. 

West explained since Covid-19 and some health issues, he had taken some time away from public appearances. 

“I am just now getting back in the saddle. I want to thank you guys for having me and Brent for kind of pulling me out of the darkness a little bit,” West said. “We weren’t sure what topic to talk about and overcoming adversity is something that impacts all of us, whether you know it or not.”

West explained his childhood and being born in Virginia and growing up in Georgia.

“I suffered a lot of abuse and violence as a child and I grew up in that world,” West explained. “During the Vietnam era, all of my brothers and cousins were in Vietnam, so I decided to drop out of school at 17 and join the army. I went into the 82nd airborne.”

West explained his adventures of street fighting during his military career. 

“I had in the vicinity of 600 street fights, and I got to tell you, just because you won a fight, you don’t always look like it,” West said. “I have won fights where I had 37 stitches in my head and things of that nature.” 

Physical trauma wasn’t West’s only experience he spoke to the group about. 

“I have lived the life that I have lived for a long time. About 21 years ago, a little more, my oldest son was murdered. Up until that time, I didn’t care…about anything,” West tearfully said. “My world started coming undone at an alarming rate. I’m going to tell you something I have never told anybody. When he was murdered, I put a gun in my mouth. That’s when my world started really turning around and I heard a voice from above and it really saved my life.”

West described the word ‘adversity’ as ‘difficult misfortunes’ and ‘bad luck,’ noting everyone in the audience has been through some type of adversity and we all deal with it in different ways.

“Adversity, they say, can make you or break you. I am 70 years old, and I have had over 200 stitches, plastic reconstruction, over 63 broken bones and a few other things,” West said. “But with all of that said, you have got to have a purpose in life. The truth is for me, I heard that adversity is God getting your attention and I really do believe that with my heart and my soul.” 

“That’s really my message to you guys, keep your eyes on the horizon, right?” West said. “My early life was tragic. All of my brothers and cousins, all former special OPs guys, they’re dead today. I am very lucky. We can talk about all of the bad things that happen in our life. We can dwell into the bad things in our life, but the truth is, you’ve got to catch yourself when you’re having these thoughts and you’ve got to turn them positive as quickly as you can. There is always a silver lining.”

West continued to provide those in attendance with motivational guidance from his life.

“I think with a theme overcoming adversity, if you just stick to your guns, whatever they are, be brave, be courageous. Don’t give up, even when it doesn’t seem like it’s going your way, just stay in the game. Things will happen if you are persistent. We always tell people to reinvent yourself, but you reinvent yourself every day every time you wake up,” West explained. 

Shortly after a question-and-answer period for West, Anderson introduced Yoder Volunteer Fire Chief, Justin Burkart.

“Some of you may know, Yoder Fire Department and potentially the fire district has dealt with a little bit of adversity,” Anderson said. “A lot of it comes from leadership issues in the past but Justin has been a tremendous led from the front person. Ask any firefighter on the department and the reason they are here, and the reason they stick around, the reason they leave their families, to go out and fight fire or respond to car accidents or spend 79 days in California fighting fire in California is because we have a cohesive unit and a cohesive team.” 

Anderson explained the relationship between the fire department and the fire district was poor and that’s what motivated Anderson to run for the district position. 

“In 2016, the Yoder Fire District was surviving on anywhere from about $40,000 up to $100,000 a year, maximum. Most of that was just tax money that we take in,” Anderson said. 

Anderson asked Burkart how much the district brings in now.

“2.2 million dollars,” Anderson echoed Burkart. “And guess what? We’re, when I say we, I mean they are, not me in person. We as a team came up with a strategic plan and instead of getting a handout from the government, we’re making our own money. So, when we send a truck out on federal fire, the federal government is paying us as much as $1,200 a day for having that truck on that fire. Our firefighters are getting paid by the federal government to be our fighting these federal fires from California to Indiana to Oregon to New Mexico,” Anderson explained.

Anderson explained the Yoder Fire District is helping other departments learn how to be as successful. 

Burkart took the microphone and gave some history about the department, including the mission statement.

“We are committed to protecting life, property, and the environment in our community by providing community outreach and prevention, rapid and professional fire suppression, medical and rescue services, and response to related emergencies. Our mission is accomplished by professionally trained personnel, through teamwork and innovation, utilizing the personnel and resources provided by our community,” the mission statement reads.

“Everything we do, tries back to our mission,” Burkhart said. “Whether that’s federal fire program, our training, everything we do goes back to that. If it doesn’t meet what our mission says, we don’t do it.” 

Burkart continued to explain the department, including efforts to help other departments. 

The evening wrapped up with the silent auction and raffle.