| Congratulations to Victoria Montaruli, daughter of Firefighter Dennis Montaruli, recipient of the Independent Insurance Agents of Westchester County Volunteer Firefighters Scholarship. This scholarship is significant to Irvington Firefighters because it is in Memory of Robert J. Schnibbe Jr.
When Battalion Chief Robert Schnibbe, who was also a Westchester Independent Agent, died at the scene of a fire in Irvington in 2006, the Independent Insurance Agents of Westchester County (IIAWC) wanted to do something to recognize the commitment of Volunteer Firefighters to the Westchester Community. After consulting with the Westchester County Volunteer Firemen's Association, (WCVFA), the IIAWC decided to establish a Scholarship Foundation to provide scholarships to the sons and daughters of Westchester volunteer firefighters.
Here is her scholarship winning essay:
When I was much younger, my father told myself and my family that he was going to join the Irvington Fire Department and be a firefighter. Being so young, I didn't completely understand what this meant. I knew what firefighters were, but I pictured them as what I had learned in stories. I pictured firefighters as the men that worked at the firehouse all the time, slid down poles to get to the truck, had dalmatians to help them, and fought against enormous fires that would devour entire homes and buildings within minutes of being ignited. At first, I was frightened... Would my dad be gone all the time, making it so I never saw him? Would he be in constant danger, risking his own life to save others? As a child, it was hard to grasp.
As I grew older and wiser, I began to understand what being a volunteer fireman meant. Not only do the volunteer firefighters of my town save lives and protect out town, but they also bring us together as a community through their many donations to sports programs and to events such as the annual Halloween parade in which they also volunteer to hand out candy at. Without their donations, many of these programs would not be possible. These are just some of the reasons why the fire department is such an enormous part of my town.
Over time, I learned that my dad volunteering for the fire department did not mean that I would lose him. In the end, I am so proud of my father for his decision to join the Irvington Volunteer Fire Department. He risks his life for the benefit of others. What firefighters do, whether they are volunteers or not, is absolutely inspiring. It takes a lot of courage to go up against something as menacing as a fire, and these brave men and women do it to protect others. Those in volunteer departments choose to do it with no incentives or rewards.
My father's decision to join the fire department and help others has motivated me to begin volunteer work myself. I started out helping out at many of the fire department events alongside my dad and then I branched out and found more opportunities to contribute to my community on my own. Over the years I have helped out at my towns annual Turkey Trot and a carnival for preschool aged children. I have also consistently been a volunteer at my local nursing home. I can truly see from the responses I get from those I help that my assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks to my Father, I have realized the value of aiding others. |
