Southwestern Association of Volunteer Firemen

Southwestern Association of Volunteer Firemen

Serving the volunteer fire service of Allegany, Erie, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties


The Southwestern Association of Volunteer Firemen of the State of New York (SWAVF) and its Ladies Auxiliary are pleased to announce their community service scholarship program for 2024. This scholarship is open to all high school seniors who will graduate in 2024, and will be enrolling for a full time study at an accredited institution of post-secondary study in the fall of 2024.

Applicants must be either:

(a) A member, junior member, Ladies auxiliary member or Fire Explorer of a SWAVF member fire department or company.

-OR-

(b) Be the child or grandchild of an active member, Ladies auxiliary member, or exempt member of a SWAVF member fire department or company.

-OR-

(c) Be the child or grandchild of an officer, past officer, committee member, life member, or annually registered member of the SWAVF or SWAVF Ladies’ Auxiliary

This year there will be one Southwestern Firemen’s Scholarship awarded in the amount of $800.00 and three $150.00 SWAVF Ladies Auxiliary Scholarships. The three Auxiliary Scholarships will be awarded to the top applicant from each county not represented by the SWAVF Firemen’s Scholarship winner. Each applicant must submit the following:

1.) Completed Application form.

2.) An acceptance letter from an accredited institution of post-secondary education

3.) A letter of recommendation from a school official familiar with both the breadth and depth of the student’s community service efforts.

4.) A second letter from a representative or supervisor of a community service organization attesting to the applicant’s volunteer activities.

5.) An essay of 300 to 500 words, describing the applicants various community volunteer efforts.


Application forms will be available at www.SWAVF.com on December 15, 2023 and all application packets must be returned by USPS to:

Lake Erie Beach VFC, Kim Heath, Scholarship Chairperson, 9483 Lake Shore Rd. Angola, N.Y. 14006.

All applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2024. Winners will be selected by the Scholarship Committee. The presentation of awards will take place during the annual SWAVF Convention on August 2, 2024 in West Valley, New York. Winners will receive payment upon satisfactory completion of their first semester of full-time study. Please feel free to contact Kim Heath for further information by email at k.heath4278@gmail.com

Scholarship