Fourth Battalion awards 2025 college scholarships

Posted Friday, January 23, 2026 3:57 am

The Fourth Battalion Fire District presented college scholarship money to Colleen Chojnacki of East Rockaway, Anthony Fontana of Lynbrook and Jessica Banta and Luke Trencheny of Rockville Centre.

Photo by Steve Grogan

By Jeff Bessen

Each year, the Fourth Battalion Fire District, which includes the East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne and Rockville Centre fire departments, presents college scholarship checks of $250 each to deserving members of the five departments as well as family members of department members.

The 2025 awards were presented to Colleen Chojnacki, East Rockaway F.D.; Anthony Fontana, Lynbrook F.D.; and Jessica Banta and Luke Trencheny, Rockville Centre F.D.

Banta, Chojnacki, and Fontana were present at the check presentation at the Lynbrook firehouse on Jan. 5. Trencheny did not attend.

Elected members of the battalion on hand were Scholarship Chairman Rockville Centre’s Mark Murray, present Battalion Chairman East Rockaway’s Joseph Mihalick, Battalion Vice Chairman Malverne’s James Lang, Battalion Secretary Lynbrook’s Kevin Bien, and Battalion Treasurer Lakeview’s Mike Koppel.

Report an inappropriate comment

HELP SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM

The worldwide pandemic has threatened many of the businesses you rely on every day, but don’t let it take away your source for local news. Now more than ever, we need your help to ensure nothing but the best in hyperlocal community journalism comes straight to you. Consider supporting the Herald with a small donation. It can be a one-time, or a monthly contribution, to help ensure we’re here through this crisis. To donate or for more information, click here.