Life and Honorary Members
The Blooming Grove Volunteer Ambulance Corps constitution provides for the awarding of life and honorary membership.
Life members have served the ambulance corps for twenty years. Their operator numbers (originally assigned as part of the Civil Defense program) have been retired. We congratulate the following people for attaining this achievement.
Dawn Salka:
Operator 21
Dawn joined BGVAC on September 20th 2007. In time she became qualified as a EMT and Driver, and currently serves on the Board of Directors. Dawn has responded to over 1,300 calls and volunteered countless hours of service. Dawn is known for her professionalism and helping around the ambulance with large events such as the Annual Dinner.
Salvatore Mancuso:
Operator 64
Salvatore joined BGVAC on October 19th 2011. In time he became qualified as a driver, served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and on our Fundraising Committee. Salvatore responded to over 800 calls and volunteered countless hours of service. He is remembered fondly by his peers at the ambulance for his strong commitment to serving the community, his often-expressed love of his wife Marie and his son Brandon, for his love of the students at Washingtonville and Cornwall Central School Districts where he served as a substitute teacher for many years and was known as "Mr. Man", and for playing a "mean" game of Ping Pong. Salvatore passed away on April 30th, 2020 from COVID-19 related complications which he contracted in the line of duty while on an ambulance call.
Jim Mullen:
Operator 52
Jim joined BGVAC on March 1, 1996. In time he became qualified as a driver, emergency medical technician, served as the Captain, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, and continues to be on the Board of Directors. Jim responded to well over 1,000 calls and volunteered countless hours of service. He is known fondly by his peers at the ambulance for his strong dedication to the ambulance corps and always builds up the camaraderie. Jim is a book of knowledge at the ambulance corps and is our "jack of all trades", when you need something or need to reflect on something in the agency, Jim is the one to help. Jim currently is our longest actively serving member at Blooming Grove Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Gil Davidson:
Operator 10
Gil joined the Corp in 1984, he has served as Building Officer and has been on the Board of Directors, also serving as its Chairman.
Wayne Schutz:
Operator 12
Wayne joined the Corp in 1989, he has served as Radio Officer, Membership Officer and has been on the Board of Directors, also serving as its Chairman. He continues to serve today.
Frank Hemming:
Operator 46
Frank joined the corps in January 1977 and served until the summer of 1997. During that time, he served several positions, including president, vice president, membership officer and training officer. Frank ran more than a thousand calls during his career.
Ginny Jeffries:
Operator 06
Ginny, who was a charter member of the Corps, actively rode for ten years. After that, she server as dispatcher until the time we went with a professional dispatching service. Ginny was present at the open house for our new bay to help cut the ribbon.
Billy Knapp:
Operator 49
Billy joined the corps in 1976. Bill reached 6000 calls in 1998, making him the "top call" member of the corps. Bill has served as supplies and PCR officer during his membership years.
Marianne Knapp
Operator 08
Marianne joined the corps in 1974. Marianne had more than 1800 calls.
Honorary members are people from the community who have either made significant contributions to the Corps or who have shown outstanding support of the Corps. We are happy to announce the following honorary members.
Katie Bonelli
Katie was inducted as an honorary member at the 2000 annual dinner meeting. In 1999, the membership of the corps voted to begin ALS (paramedic) service. Katie, who was the town supervisor at the time, supported the ambulance corps in this endeavor. For this reason, the title of honorary member has been conferred upon Katie.