Since the early 1800s, the Rochester Firefighters’ Benevolent
Association (RFBA) has served its active and retired members with dignity and
respect. Originally called the Paid Firemen’s Funeral Aid Association, the RFBA
was established to assist the families of deceased City of Rochester
firefighters with paying for funeral expenses. Back in those early days, initial
membership dues were used to create a trust that would continue to fund such
needs for future generations. Early accounts say this effort was assisted by
Colonel Thomas Meacham, a dairy farmer from Sandy Creek, New York who donated a
700 lb. block of cheese to the City of Rochester so it could be auctioned off to
benefit the RFBA. Through his generosity and with the continued commitment of
RFBA members, the trust continues to thrive today under the watchful eye of the
RFBA Board of Trustees, providing a guaranteed death benefit for all members in
good standing.
Since those humble beginnings, the RFBA has grown to provide a
number of social benefits as well. In the early 1960s, the members created the
School of the Holy Childhood Christmas Party, a yearly tradition that continues
today, funded by RFBA members and donations from several area businesses. In
2009, the RFBA began a tradition of holding a formal firefighters’ ball, an
event that draws hundreds of active and retired firefighters and their spouses
every year. The RFBA also provides funding for a retiree picnic in July,
sponsors holes for several annual charity golf tournaments, and maintains the
firefighters’ burial plot at the City of Rochester’s historical Mount Hope
Cemetery, all in accordance with the association’s constitutional obligation to
promote the social and intellectual welfare of its members.
The RFBA Board of Trustees is committed to responsible management
of the association’s assets, while continuing the altruistic traditions it has established
over the years. All members are encouraged to help the association preserve
these traditions by attending functions and becoming involved as board members.
It is only through this kind of participation that the association will succeed
in the future.
Please feel free to contact any RFBA board member if you have any
questions.
Sincerely,
Pat Agostinelli
RFBA President
