HEARNE — A good plate of fish can go a long way, especially when it helps support the volunteers who answer the call when their neighbors need them most. Blackjack Volunteer Fire Department will host its fish fry fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Blackjack Fire Station, 9061 FM 391 in Hearne. Plates will be $15, and the event will also include a silent auction. The fundraiser gives residents a chance to enjoy lunch, visit with neighbors and support a volunteer fire department that has served the area for more than four decades. Blackjack VFD was established in 1980 and is made up entirely of volunteers. The department serves a large rural stretch of Robertson County, covering more than 130 square miles and helping protect about 2,000 residents. Its volunteers respond to a wide range of calls, including structure fires, grass fires, vehicle crashes, traffic control and medical assistance. The department also assists neighboring fire departments through mutual aid when needed. For many rural departments, fundraisers like the fish fry are more than a meal. They are a reminder that fire protection in small communities depends heavily on the people who live there, work there and show up for one another. Blackjack VFD’s service area includes busy rural roadways, including areas from Old San Antonio Road toward the Hearne city limits. The department has responded to vehicle crashes, rollovers and other serious incidents along those routes, where fast response and trained volunteers can make a real difference. Saturday’s fish fry will offer residents a simple way to give back. Whether they come for lunch, take part in the silent auction or simply stop by to show support, attendees will be helping a department built around local service. The event will run from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Blackjack Fire Station in Hearne.