Berwyn Fire Volunteers Honored With Scholarships

The Main Line Chamber Foundation will host the 7th Annual “Celebration of Hometown Heroes," disbursing scholarship funds to volunteer firefighters and first responders.

The Foundation said that they have awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships to area students that volunteer in emergency services on the Main Line since 2001.

The event will take place on Thursday, June 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lower Merion Township Administration Building on 75 E. Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore.

“In 2006, the Foundation’s focus expanded to include volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians who make the Main Line region a better and safer place to live and work because of their commitment to the community,” John Durso, Chairman of The Main Line Chamber Foundation Board of Directors, said in a news 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 distribute the scholarship awards at a public ceremony that can shine a light on their invaluable contributions.”

During the June 9 event, a total of $41,000 in scholarships will be distributed to 29 volunteers, according to the news release.

The 2016 scholarship recipients are:

• Francis Alvare, Oakmont Fire Co. and Marple Twp. Ambulance
• Padraig (Paddy) Black, Merion Fire Co. of Ardmore
• Severina Butera-Addesso, Oakmont Fire Company
• Joseph Certo, Newtown Square Fire Company
• Mark Christake, Oakmont Fire Company
• Jason Everlof, Newtown Square Fire Company
• Niklaas Fowler, Manoa Fire Company
• Nicole Harnwell, Llanerch Fire Company
• Daniel Ikeda, VMSC/Narberth Ambulance
• William King, Berwyn Fire Company
• Drew Kopicki, Penn Wynne Fire Company and VMSC/Narberth Ambulance
• Amber Lubker, Malvern Fire Company
• Ethan Mazer, Penn Wynne Fire Company
• Kerry McCans, VMSC/Narberth Ambulance
• Brysen McMullin, Merion Fire Co. of Ardmore
• Vincent Miller, Berwyn Fire Company
• Ryan Peterson, Berwyn Fire Company
• Elizabeth Prather, Radnor Fire Company
• Andrew Ritter, Berwyn Fire Company
• Stephen Sabol, Bryn Mawr Fire Company
• Lauren Sauers, VMSC/Narberth Ambulance
• Matthew Speers, Oakmont Fire Company
• Ryan Sweeney, Brookline Fire Company
• Joseph Treadway, Radnor Fire Company
• Neil Vaughn, Malvern Fire Company
• Brennon Verges, Merion Fire Co. of Ardmore
• John Zabinski Berwyn Fire Company

In addition, a special $5,000 scholarship in the name of Merion Fire Company veteran Tom Hays will be awarded to two recipients, the Foundation said.

Hays joined the company in June of 1999 as an 18-year-old. He passed suddenly in 2006. Officials noted that he exemplified "dedication, loyalty, and commitment to protect and serve the public."

The Hays winners for 2016 are Albert Brawn of the Berwyn Fire Company and Aaron Miller, VMSC/Narberth Ambulance.