Driving the Stutz is exhilarating

By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
WOODSTOCK — Imagine a job that was exhilarating on day one — and still is more than 30 years later.
That’s the joy felt by Phil Mahoney who drives the famous 100-year-old-this-year Stutz fire truck for the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association (WFVA).
Manufactured in 1925 the Stutz first went to Harrington Park, N.J. and then, in 1937, to William Prym Inc. in Dayville. Mahoney said from the ‘60s to the ‘80s the Stutz sat in a Prym boiler room. When Prym closed the Stutz was donated to WFVA. 
Mahoney had joined the MFVA around 1982-83 and started driving the Stutz in the early 1990s. He’s put over a 1,000 miles on it, averaging 100 miles a year with events, fairs, parades, etc. (The odometer says 3,400).
When they got it running in the early ‘90s, he was asked if he’d like to drive it. “I said, ‘Are you kidding? Where else am I going to get a chance to drive a Stutz’?”
In 2001 he tore it down to the bare frame, he said. Every nut and bolt. He took off the fenders and had them repainted. Pin striping and gold leafed went on (it took six books of gold leaf). The gentleman who did the golf leafing was 81 years old and a real craftsman, Mahoney said The tiny, evenly spaced swirls in the gold leaf lines were done by hand. “He did this using his thumb,” Mahoney said. It took a year to take it apart and put it back together.
In 1925 the manufacturer made only two of this particular model.
Part of the exhilaration was ‘You’re up taller than everything else. No windshield, no seatbelts,” he said. It was exhilarating the first time and every time after that. “I’m a little more cautious because it’s 100 years old, but it’s still exhilarating,” he said.
The Stutz — and its white-bearded driver Mahoney — were part of the Hallmark movie “One Royal Christmas.” The Christmas movie was filmed during a blast-furnace hot July a few years ago. 
“I was amazed that they would even ask,” he said. “I was a little surprised that they wanted it (the Stutz).” Filming the nighttime Christmas parade was done over two nights, he said. “I have about 15 seconds of fame.” One night the filming ran from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and the next time filming was from 1 to 5 a.m. Watching the sun rise that second night was “surreal. It’s 5 a.m. and I’m driving the truck home. And it started raining.” he said. “I was enthralled. I didn’t even take pictures.”
“That was a whole new chapter in my life that I never expected,” he added.
Something to check out the next time you watch “One Royal Christmas” — there’s one shot in the movie where they filmed the Christmas tree in the back of the fire engine and they did not blur out or remove “Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association” from the back of the truck, just above the bumper. “I got goosebumps,” he said, seeing the Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association on the back. 
Mahoney and the Stutz get some excitement into the kids. “I love seeing the looks on kids’ faces — how excited they get.” It’s a draw for future firefighters.” There’ve been young man who’ve joined the fire association and they’ve said to me ‘I used to come see you before so (attracting future firefighters) is already happening.” Perhaps they will be the next generation of Stutz drivers. 

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caption:

Phil Mahoney at the wheel of the 100-year-old Stutz fire truck. More photos of Mahoney, the Stutz and the Touch-a-Truck event in Woodstock on page 4. Expanded  photo array on our FB page Wed. night. Linda Lemmon photo.

The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs.  The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
June 30
Jeffery Mylen, 40, homeless, Putnam; sixth-degree larceny.
Alex Michael Young, 31, Centennial Street, Putnam; disorderly conduct.
July 1
Jennifer Kotarba, 39, Sabin Street, Putnam; failure to keep narcotics in original container, possession of controlled substance, 1st offense.
July 2
Joseph Asher James, 41, School Street, Putnam; violation standing criminal protective order.
July 3
Harley Davidson, 31, homeless, Putnam; sixth-degree larceny, violation of probation, possession of controlled substance, 1st offense. 

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Briefly
Asst. branch manager
OXFORD, Mass. — Angela Gorky of Woodstock has accepted the role of assistant branch manager of the bankHometown office in Oxford. She has eight years of banking experience. She joined bankHometown in 2017 as a teller supervisor, and was most recently assistant branch manager of the bank’s Sturbridge office. She earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Quinsigamond Community College, as well as a certificate in business from the New England College of Business.

Fire dept. officers
POMFRET — The Pomfret Fire Company recently elected officers for the next two years: Joining Fire Chief Brett Sheldon (appointed by the District) and Deputy Fire Chief Jim Fernstrom (appointed by the Chief, confirmed by the District) are: Fire Company President Pat Boyd; Vice President Dwight French; Secretary Brian Geyer; Treasurer Marcia Williams; and Assistant Fire Chief Derek May.

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