Grand Island Fire Co. announces 2024 recipients of Lou and Reta D'Orazio Scholarship Fund

Submitted by Ron Stipp

Public Information Officer

The Grand Island Fire Co. is proud to announce that two company members, Ellen Valera and Sabrina Butcher, have been selected by the D’Orazio family to each receive a $2,000 Lou and Reta D’Orazio Scholarship to support their 2024-25 academic endeavors. The fire company members receiving the D’Orazio Scholarship are both currently enrolled in medical field programs in accredited institutions of higher learning, and both demonstrate a commitment to voluntary emergency service through their actions in the Grand Island Fire Co.

To honor their parents’ commitment and legacy of helping people, the D’Orazio family funded and created a scholarship program to support Grand Island Fire Co. (GIFC) members pursuing formal education in medical fields.

Luigi “Lou” D’Orazio served as a Grand Island firefighter and advanced emergency medical technician for 56 years. Lou’s wife, Reta, supported health initiatives and medical studies that advanced cardiac health in women. Lou and Reta were committed to helping others and to supporting community endeavors.

Having watched their parents’ dedication and contributions to caring for people, the D’Orazio family knows the hard work and significant time commitment it takes to be a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical responder.

The GIFC members are all volunteers, working jobs and attending school, as they volunteer their time to respond to emergency calls and to attend fire and emergency medical training. The Lou and Reta D'Orazio Scholarship Fund assists GIFC members with financial support toward the pursuit of an advanced medical field of study, which, in turn, helps the community.

In 2021, the D’Orazio family donated funds to the GIFC to create the scholarship and, in the past two years, the family has awarded four scholarships for a total of $5,000.

This year’s awardees are enrolled in nursing programs and are active first responders on Grand Island.

Ellen Valera is enrolled at Erie Community College, where she will be completing her nursing degree in May 2025. She has been an active member of the GIFC since 2018 and, by 2022, she earned her advanced emergency medical technician license. Ellen’s work as an emergency medical responder for the fire company led her to pursuing a degree in the nursing medical field. As she completes her registered nurse certification, she will be looking into a bridge program to receive a paramedic license to further assist the community.

Sabrina Butcher has entered the nursing studies program at SUNY Niagara to pursue her registered nurse license. She attended the Erie 1 BOCES nursing program while in high school, as well as joined the fire company’s cadet program. Sabrina has been active in the fire company for two and a half years and, in that time has already earned her emergency medical technician and advanced emergency medical technician licenses. Her active interest in helping people led her to join the volunteer fire service, as well as pursue a career in the nursing field.

This was the intent of the D’Orazio family when starting the scholarship fund – to help as many people as possible – by supporting the medical education of the GIFC volunteers which, in turn, helps the community as a whole.

Becky D’Orazio-Orton stated, "I am glad to be a part of this mission to help those who help others. May God bless all the volunteers of our GIFC."

The D’Orazio family is also very appreciative of how the community has supported the scholarship fund through personal donations. Lou and Reta were known and beloved by many in the community, and such contributions help honor their legacy.

To support the Lou and Reta D’Orazio Scholarship Fund, donations can be sent to the Grand Island Fire Co., 2275 Baseline Road, Grand Island, NY 14072.