The students at Stetson School have reviewed and selected this spring’s grant recipients of the Stetson School Community Giving Fund, that distributes $10,000 annually, given to non-profit organizations, municipalities, or other community initiatives within the Town of Barre and/or other towns located in the Quabbin Regional School District that support community social good.

This year the Stetson youth decided that the Barre Fire Department was very deserving of a Community Giving Grant. The youth decided that with everything that front line workers do to keep everyone safe during this pandemic, and always, that it was the perfect time to approve their application.

Students FRS and AJ brought the "big check" to the fire department and presented it to Chief Rogowski, Fire Inspector/EMT Captain James Divirgillio, and Firefighter/EMT Ray Balser. Chief Rogowski accepted the check, thanking the youth, and reported that the money will go towards a new device for the department that assists in clearing airways of incapacitated patients. A much needed piece of life saving equipment for the BFD.

Chief Rogowski and Captain Divirgillo then gave the youth a tour of the station as well as an up close look at the new fire engine and other pieces equipment and firefighting tools. They also offered to have more Stetson youth come to the station, or for the department to visit campus with some trucks, once the current pandemic situation clears.

Other grant recipients will be announced over the coming weeks.