It’s an eastern North Carolina delicacy — pulled pork, cooked overnight until perfectly tender, doused in a vinegar-based sauce unique to the region. One volunteer fire department has mastered the process and is willing to share Saturday.

The Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department is hosting its twice-a-year fundraiser starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at the station. It lasts until the last plate of barbecue, grilled chicken, or a combination of both, sells.

The event helps the department pay for equipment and maintenance; it goes to the new substation planned for Long Acre, farther up N.C. Highway 32. It also satisfies locals’ craving for a heaping plate of barbecue, potatoes, coleslaw and hushpuppies. At $8 minimum per plate and between 1,200 and 1,500 plates sold, the Pinetown VFD has a following. It’s one that extends much farther than the long, but quickly moving, line of hungry supporters sure to be found on Saturday.

The following extends out into the community — the community Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department serves — and makes the community want to help those who help them. Jeanea Boyd and husband Jamie live in Pinetown, and when their 2-month-old son had a pulmonary hemorrhage in 2004, it was Pinetown VFD and EMS that came to the rescue. Their service inspired the Boyds to give back: Jeanea Boyd is president of the Pinetown VFD’s Ladies Auxiliary and Jamie Boyd tries to help out with the cooking for each fundraiser.

“Our rescue, our firefighters, they just jump right in — there’s just no amount of money you can put on everything they do for our community,” Jeanea Boyd said. “They have just gone above and beyond. … I look forward to volunteering my time Friday and Saturday. It’s very rewarding — giving back to make sure our community stays safe.”

Many hands pitch in to help for this fundraiser: the Boyds join a crew of probably 50 volunteers who will spend Friday night and Saturday making sure people get fed so that money gets raised. These volunteers are pulling pork, frying hushpuppies, peeling potatoes, dipping chicken in barbecue sauce and loading plates. They’re making phone calls to let people know their orders are available for pick up or for delivery, for those who place big orders (orders of 10 or more).

Baked goods galore, donated by Pinetown cooks, line end-to-end tables covering the length of the garage bay.

The effort is worth it: plates nearly always sell out.

“That is the trend that we have been going towards,” Boyd said. “We usually sell if not by 1 o’clock then shortly thereafter, and I hope this year follows suit.”

Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department is located at 7262 N. Boyd Road in Pinetown. For more information, call the fire department at 252-927-3400.