Barbecue and baked beans were on the menu, but the juiciest entree came with four wheels Thursday evening at the Anna Community Center.

More than 100 local residents and a smattering of local and state officeholders showed up for a community meeting and ate food served up by Warren County Fifth District Magistrate Eric Aldridge and his family.

Those meals, though, weren’t as satisfying as what Aldridge’s son William Aldridge hauled into the parking lot: a 2023 Polaris Ranger utility terrain vehicle that his father announced he was donating to the Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department.

Outfitted with emergency lights, a fire suppression unit and other bells and whistles, the shiny new vehicle was the latest and biggest philanthropic gesture by the elder Aldridge, who campaigned for magistrate in 2022 with a promise to donate his salary back to county programs and nonprofit organizations.

Choking up as he addressed the crowd while the $48,000 customized Polaris was wheeled in front of the building, Aldridge said: “I’ve not done this for a pat on the back. I’ve done it so that I can serve the community.”

The pats on the back came anyway, mostly from Richardsville Fire Chief Brian Lee.

“This is unbelievable,” said Lee as he choked back his own emotions. “He (Aldridge) is truly the definition of a public servant.

“I’m so happy to be a part of this and know that there are people who’ll follow through on what they say.”

Following through on his campaign promise has come with some sacrifice for Aldridge, who earns as a magistrate an annual salary of $45,174 and also earns income from his role as president of Southern Kentucky Granite.

Fulfilling that campaign promise has meant thinking outside the box, said the magistrate’s wife.

“To actually follow through on that promise is something most people don’t expect,” said Ellen Aldridge. “The whole idea was to find a need and fill it. That’s the way he approached it.

“It makes me smile just to think about it. We’re not in it to promote ourselves, but we’re OK with doing something different.”

Eric Aldridge started with some smaller donations, including last month’s $6,000 purchase of personal safety lights for the sheriff’s office, but nothing that compares to what he did Thursday.

“When I decided I was going to donate my salary as magistrate, the volunteer fire departments were primary on my list,” he said. “I wanted to identify something big that would bless them. They serve our community and never ask for anything.”

His research into the work of the VFDs led Aldridge to look at vehicles that would help firefighters with such responses as brush fires, search-and-rescue calls and natural disasters like the 2021 tornadoes.

“There are many times when their fire engines can’t get to where they need to go,” Aldridge said. “What could I do to support that?

“I found that Polaris makes these units for fire departments, so I identified this as what would support them the best.”

Lee can already see multiple uses for his new UTV that will be housed at the Richardsville VFD’s Anna station.

“This (Polaris Ranger) will benefit not only this area but the whole county,” he said. “There will be multiple uses for it. It’s a tremendous piece of equipment.”

Aldridge sacrificed time and money to procure the vehicle, traveling to Alabama to find the right deal on a Polaris outfitted for a fire department.

According to his own records, Aldridge has now donated more than $67,000 worth of goods and services back to VFDs and the sheriff’s office.

While admitting that those donations are a sacrifice, Aldridge said: “Financially, it can hurt for a second; but the greater benefit of giving is so much more than any loss.”

The magistrate said he donates his salary “in order to keep my heart and mind humble and committed to serving the community.

“It’s a constant reminder that I am not serving in this position for financial gain but to give back.”

Aldridge’s commitment to the county volunteer fire departments goes beyond the donations. He headed a committee that has been looking into ways to improve the funding and structure of the county’s nine VFDs that are now funded primarily through annual fire dues of $50 per household.

Consultant MissionCIT has been studying the fire departments and is expected to present its findings next month. Lee, for one, is hoping for a positive outcome.

County Judge-Executive Doug “Gorman sees the need for improvements in our fire departments,” said Lee, who has spent 30 years with the Richardsville VFD. “There’s excitement about what comes out of the study.

“I definitely think there are better days ahead for the fire departments.”