Thursday, October 1, 2026
Two members of the 1st Marine Corps District in Garden City visited volunteers of the Rockville Centre Fire Department last week to thank them for gathering toys for the children and families of their fellow service members.
Lt. Col. Arnold Selvidge, executive officer for the 1st Marine Corps District, joined by Capt. Lindsay Pirek, took to the lectern in the conference room of the Fire Department’s Maple Avenue firehouse on Jan. 22. The gifts collected by the Fire Department were given out at the district’s holiday party in December, Selvidge noted.
“That means a lot to them, because they’re from throughout the country,” he added. “They may not be from the best communities…but it’s one of those things that they got to see a community come together and actually thank them, so it had a huge impact on them.”
Selvidge said that thanks to the Fire Department, his two children received a basketball, a remote control car and board games.
“Being in New York, we’re not near a large base, so we don’t have access to the services that we would normally have on base. It means a lot that the community reaches out and takes us in,” said Pirek, who lives in Rockville Centre and currently serves as the 1st Marine Corps District’s public affairs officer. “They show us that we can be a part of the community and part of the family as well.”
Selvidge delivered letters of appreciation to Fire Chief Brian Cook, First Assistant Chief Eric Burel and Second Assistant Chief James Avondet, as well as Frank Colon, a former Fire Police captain.
“I want to make sure that you understand that it’s our pleasure to do this for you guys,” Cook told Selvidge and Pirek, “because we’re very grateful for what the military does.”
