Welcome to the museum report and our continued focus on fundraising to complete the interior. We are calling it, phase II. Due to the importance of having a greater understanding of some history with this project, I will defer to the article foundation board member Gail Hagans has written. Her insights are published in this issue of the magazine. That said, at least for this edition, I will move on with my 2021 commitment to recognize your foundation members in more detail. The next two people I would like to introduce are Harriett Vaucher and Brian Zinanni. I selected these two because they are both the longest-serving Funeral Assistance Team members on the Foundation and both have delivered our Sunday morning service keynote address. Harriet in 2016 and Brian in 2017.
Harriett first attended the Missouri Fire Service Funeral Assistance Team training in 2006 and joined the team in 2007 but her fire service experience started in 1960 with the Eureka Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary.
In 1971 Harriett became a survivor when her husband George H. Manetzke Jr., the first paid fire chief of Eureka was killed in the line of duty (LODD). With five children to support Harriett went to work full time for the Eureka Fire Department administration in 1971 and semi-retired to two days per week in 2007 achieving 50-years of service in 2021. Harriett became a volunteer firefighter/EMT in 1976 and served in that capacity for 20-years. Harriett has been an active part of foundation events since 2008 and became a board member in 2011. Harriett enjoys ceramics in her free time and has done so since 1974.
Brian is also featured in the memorial article so I will not duplicate that information. Brian joined the Foundation Board in 2007 but reported work for the assistance team from its beginning in 2005. His most current title is State Director for Supporting Heroes which provides immediate and long-term assistance in dozens of financial and managed areas for a public service family having lost their loved one in the line of duty. Brian is a career firefighter/paramedic with the City of Clayton Fire Department since 2002 holding the rank of lieutenant and medical officer. His emergency service career started as an EMT in 1984 at Twin City Ambulance in Rock Falls, Illinois, followed by paramedic duties in 1989 and the same year as a paid-on-call firefighter with Rock Falls Fire Department until moving to the Clayton Fire Department. Few people may know that Brian holds a degree in Mortuary Science and has assisted funeral homes in multiple states. Brian has been honored with dozens of awards and proclamations including the Phillip Sayer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. This is the highest recognition by FFAM and only given to only one person per year.
If you need to contact me for questions or have ideas to share regarding the project please do so at 314-709-0760 or keith.smith@warrenton-fire.org.
FFAM
