Crime & Safety

Volunteer Firefighters to be Honored in 'Celebration of Hometown Heroes'

Volunteer firefighters along the Main Line will receive more than $20,000 in scholarships.

The second annual “Celebration of Hometown Heroes” will honor volunteer firefighters in a public ceremony 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 14 in the board room of the .

The ceremony, hosted by the Main Line Chamber Foundation, will honor a number of local firefighters and emergency responders among the 29 scholarship recipients, according to a Lower Merion Township press release. 

Two volunteer firefighters—Charles C. Carlson (Berwyn Fire Company) and William M. Neely II (Merion Fire Company of Ardmore, Penn Wynne Fire Company)—will each receive the first $2,500 Thomas J. Hays III Memorial Scholarships.

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“[Hays’] outstanding contributions, dedication, loyalty and commitment to protect and serve the public provide a shining example of a true hometown hero and in his honor, the Tom Hays Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to an outstanding volunteer firefighter who faithfully carries out his or her service in a manner that honors the example set by Tom Hays,” the release states, noting that Hays joined the Merion Fire Company in 1999 as an 18-year-old high school senior.

Chris Canazzi (Merion Fire Company, Gladwyne Fire Company), Stephen Hand (Merion Fire Company, Brookline Fire Company) and Thomas W. Hayden (Merion Fire Company of Ardmore) will each receive $1,000 scholarships, the release states.

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John Cunningham (Volunteer Medical Service Corps (VMSC) of Lower Merion and Narberth), Peter Gardner (Narberth Fire Company), Drew Kopicki (Penn Wynne Fire Company), Katherine Smith (VMSC of Lower Merion and Narberth), Dan Szallasi (VMSC of Lower Merion and Narberth, Union Fire Association, Belmont Hills Fire Company) and Rachel Torg (VMSC of Lower Merion and Narberth) will each receive $500 scholarships, according to the release.

“We’d like to see the Board Room of the Lower Merion Township Administration building filled to capacity, not only with representatives from the 17 fire companies that serve the Main Line, but also with members from the community to demonstrate support for our volunteer heroes," Bernard Dagenais, president and CEO of The Main Line Chamber of Commerce, said in the release. "As we approach the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Celebration of Hometown Heroes offers a wonderful opportunity to affirm that we will never forget and that we appreciate the service of our volunteer firefighters." 

The Main Line Chamber Foundation has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to local students since 2001, according to the release. The featured donations from , glenmorgan, , JR Monaghan’s, , The Paddock, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Alfredo. The Wells Fargo Foundation donated $10,000 to help fund the 2011 scholarship program. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, with support from Rep. Mike Gerber, has promised $5,000 to fund scholarships, and the participants and donors in the 2010 Main Line Run also provided a major source of funding, according to the release. 

"In 2006, our focus expanded to include volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians at the fire companies who make the Main Line region a better and safer place to live and work because of their selfless commitment to the community," remarked Bill Grim, chairman of The Main Line Chamber Foundation Board of Directors, in the release. "These are not paid employees, though their volunteer service saves taxpayers millions of dollars. We believe it is important to celebrate their service and award all of the volunteer firefighter scholarship winners together at a public ceremony."


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