Schuylkill County Volunteer Firefighters Association remembered those who’ve passed away at a memorial service to kick off its annual convention week on Sunday.
This year’s convention is being hosted by Ryan Township Fire Co. and the memorial service, the traditional start to the convention, was held inside St. Richard of Chichester Parish in Barnesville Sunday evening.
At the memorial service, clergy members offered prayers for those who serve their communities by donning a volunteer firefighter’s uniform.
The names of volunteer firefighters who passed away since last year’s convention in Frackville were read off by Leroy Boyer, secretary of SCVFA:
- John “Jack” Blew, Ryan Township Fire Company
- Joseph F. Burns, Yorkville Hose Company
- Joseph R. Burns, Yorkville Hose Company
- David Clews, Yorkville Hose Company
- John DiCello, Good Intent, Pottsville
- David Dillow, Yorkville Hose Company
- Randy Fehr, Good Intent, Pottsville
- Helen Heimbach, American Hose Co., Pottsville
- Ronald “Hoot” Hinderliter, Ringtown Valley Fire and Rescue
- Fred Holman, Ryan Township Fire Company
- James Honicker, Yorkville Hose Company
- John Yulet, Yorkville Hose Company
- James Kerwick, Yorkville Hose Company
- James Quandel, Jr, Minersville Fire Rescue
- John D. W. Reilly, Yorkville Hose Company
- Joseph Selinko, Good Will, Pottsville
- Edward Slane, Phoenix Hook & Ladder, Pottsville
- Edward Sullivan, American Hose Co., Pottsville
- Robert Thompson, West End Hose Co.
- Alexandria Womer, American Hose Co., Pottsville
- Barry Zombro, Yorkville Hose Company
Ryan Township FIre Co. deputy chief Matt Morgan and Capt. Tom Price III read off the names of those who passed since 2000 from the host company:
- R. Douglas Bair, Life Member
- John “Jack” Blew, Life Member
- Allen Breiner
- Scott Brill
- Vladimir Bruce, Life Member
- Albert Cumers, Life Member
- Paul “Dave” Danisavich, Life Member
- John Dougherty, Life Member
- James Engle, Life Member
- Alvin Fritz, Life Member
- Kenneth Fritz, Life Member
- Nathan Garber, Life Member
- James “Jay” Hanley
- Charlie Herring, Life Member
- Fred Holman, Life Member
- Charles Humes, Life Member
- Francis Keiser, Life Member
- Michael Konidas, Life Member
- Joseph “Blackie” Kufrovich, Life Member and Former Chief
- William O’Brien, Life Member
- Daniel Pascavage, Life Member
- George Rajkowski, Life Member
- George Sanchez, Life Member and Former Chief
- William Scheeler
- Alfred Skelson, Life Member
- Richard Stranix, Life Member
- Ron Yellets, Life Member
- Joseph Zakrewsky, Life Member
- Stephen Zakrewsky, Life Member
Ryan Township Lieutenants AJ Levy and Matt Derr read aloud the names of volunteer firefighters who have died in the line of duty:
- Stephen Stapleton, Schuylkill Hydraulians, Pottsville – 1832
- Charles Ewing, Good Intent Fire Company, Pottsville – 1872
- George Majors, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1874
- David Ansbach, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1890
- James Becker, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1890
- Frank Hoffman, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1890
- Michael Somers, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1890
- William Knott, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Shenandoah – 1912
- Walter Jones, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Shenandoah – 1912
- Cornelius Boner, East End Fire Company, Tamaqua – 1940
- Thomas Wills, East End Fire Company, Tamaqua – 1940
- David Clark, Good Will Fire Company, Frackville – 1946
- William Pangonis, West End Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1946
- Joseph King, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1948
- Daniel Clauser, Phoenix Fire Company, Pottsville – 1955
- August Schneider, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Minersville – 1958
- Earl Hillibish, Friendship Fire Company, Orwigsburg – 1959
- James Leitzel, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Shenandoah – 1959
- Harold Staller, West End Fire Company, Pottsville – 1962
- Harold Rogers, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Shenandoah – 1965
- Leo Kayes Sr., Polish-American Fire Company, Shenandoah – 1965
- William Fanelli, Humane Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1966
- Leo Beck, Hose, Hook, & Ladder Fire Company, Pine Grove – 1968
- Alfred Bright Sr., Columbia Hose Company, Shenandoah – 1972
- James Roberts, Friendship Fire Company, Englewood – 1976
- John Stepanchick, Washington Fire Company, Ashland – 1976
- Thomas Kurtek, Alert Fire Company, St. Clair – 1977
- Ralph Downing, Humane Fire Company, Pottsville – 1978
- James Feeley, Citizens Fire Company, Lost Creek – 1980
- James Whalen, Good Will Fire Company, Cumbola – 1981
- Hilbert Reiner, Muir Fire Company – 1983
- William Pritz, Citizens Fire Company, Mahanoy City – 1984
- Joseph Grayosky, South Ward Fire Company, Tamaqua – 1985
- Robert Barnes, Rescue Hook & Ladder Company, Minersville – 1992
- Joseph Hummel, Friedensburg Fire Company – 1993
- Barry Wary, Klingerstown Fire Company – 1996
- Timothy Peters, Hose, Hook, & Ladder Company, Pine Grove – 2015
- Marvin Gruber, Community Fire Company, New Tripoli – 2022
- Zachary Paris, Community Fire Company, New Tripoli – 2022
The convention continues all week, culminating in a parade on Saturday. On Monday, firefighters participated in a training session hosted by Got Big Water, which focused on single-lane dump tank operations.
Here’s a schedule for the rest of this week:
Tuesday, August 18: Family Night “Touch a Truck” event at the Firehouse starting at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 19: County Delegates Meeting at Catalpa Grove (Private).
Thursday, August 20: Mug Night at the Firehouse starting at 7 p.m. featuring music by JFK, food by Vince’s Cheesesteaks, and free tap beer with a mug purchase.
Saturday, August 22: Convention Parade kicking off at 1 p.m. from Barnesville Drive (SR54) and Hillside Drive, ending at the Grier City Grove. Apparatus judging runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 100 Logistics Drive. Parking and shuttles are available at the Company Grove, behind the firehouse, and at the Lakeside Ballroom. Open to all fire companies, EMS, civic groups, and bands to participate.
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