Doug Jaquays- Treasurer, Dario Damore- President, Mary Nicholas, V-P, and Jessica Sharlette, Administrator

The presentation of the final 2 Canastota “Volunteer First Responders Grants” for 2017 took place Wednesday evening, May 3. With Canastota Area Association of Churches President Dave Allen looking on, Volunteer Recognition Chmn.

Scott Trefz presented a check in the amount of $550 to Canastota Volunteer Fire Department President Doug Chandler and Fire Chief Lyle Chafee, to be used in whatever manner the fire company sees fit. (The grants are made possible through careful stewardship of a special fund the CAAC oversees, supplemented by generous community support through donations.)

The exchange was followed by a tour of the firehouse led by Chandler and Chafee. Visiting Canastota’s fire hall is a trip through history, including photos going back to the beginning of the service and the original manual pumper apparatus, currently undergoing loving restoration.

Along the tour, Chief Chafee pointed out the wall mounted defibrillator the Canastota VFD purchased with last year’s grant money. Allen and Trefz thought that a very fitting expenditure since the fire hall hosts so many public dinners, and strenuous training involved in maintaining firefighting certification could lead to an emergency requiring it. Plans for the 2017 grant are under discussion.

The final stop for this year’s Grant presentation happened later that same evening at Greater Lenox Ambulance Service, where a foursome of GLAS officers was on hand to receive the check: Doug Jaquays- Treasurer, Dario Damore- President, Mary Nicholas, V-P, and Jessica Sharlette, Administrator, all flanking Scott Trefz to the right in the picture below. GLAS is tendering their grant toward a capital building improvement project, underway for some time now.

Both presentations included a word of prayer by the CAAC officers for the continued safety and success of both companies’ lifesaving work, and blessings on their families for their sacrifices giving up their loved ones to do it. As Doug Chandler of the CVFD remarked, “It’s very much appreciated what the churches do in our community, and programs like this (grant) help tie us all together better.”

By martha

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