Photos courtesy of Botetourt Co.
By Matt de Simone
The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors recognized County Fire & EMS personnel for their dedication and service last week in Daleville during its May meeting. Brothers Michael and Garry Rock received Lifetime Achievement Awards for more than 90 years of combined volunteer service to the county’s fire departments. Their late father, Richard Rock, was also recognized posthumously.
“It’s my honor, in each year we do this, to find folks within our ranks that have been serving the community for decades that really meet the mold for lifetime achievement in their service to the community,” Chief Jason Ferguson explained to the board last Tuesday. “In thinking about who best to recognize this year for lifetime achievements, it became abundantly clear there were two and that obviously is Michael Rock and Garry Rock.”
Ferguson shared background on the Rocks’ beginnings serving the Botetourt community noting that Garry and Michael’s father, Richard, started out as a volunteer with the Troutville Volunteer Fire Department in 1956 and helped form the Troutville Volunteer Rescue Squad in 1965. The Rock brothers told Ferguson that their father “lit the fire in them” to become community servants.
Michael started in the fall of 1971 with Troutville and later volunteered with the Blue Ridge Volunteer Fire Department in 1986 and actively serves there today as lieutenant and president of the incorporation.
Garry started in volunteering with Troutville in 1974. He also jointly served for a period of time with Read Mountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department serving a period of time as chief. He later returned to Troutville in 2004, and is currently the department’s deputy chief.
Ferguson saidt that it was only right to award the brothers jointly during their recognition last week, sharing that Michael’s son, Darren, currently serves as a career lieutenant with Botetourt Fire & EMS and is a representation of the generations of Fire & EMS career staff and volunteers representing the county’s respected rescue workers.
“I’d just like to encourage the community, for the younger generations to come along and pick up the volunteerism where it’s needed,” Michael said after accepting his golden axe. “It may not always be fire or rescue, but there are so many other activities in the community that need volunteers. Volunteerism struggles in this day in age for some many other that things that take other time. The community members, particularly (in their) 20s, 30s, 40s really need to take up some volunteer time.”
The Rock brothers were joined by their mother, Shirley, and department colleagues, underscoring the family’s long-standing service and impact on Botetourt’s emergency response community.
“When you have kids you probably never dream that you’re going to be celebrating decades of community service with them,” Board Chair Amy White shared. “But what a benefit and a blessing to this community you all are.” Other board member shared their similar sentiments to the Rock family.
Additionally, Lt. Matt Scott was honored for his recent completion of the Virginia Fire Officers Academy, a significant professional achievement. This six-day residential program is designed to develop the leadership skills of aspiring and new chief officers across the Commonwealth guiding students on a leadership journey starting with personal leadership all the way to executive-level leadership. The academy’s motto, as shared by Ferguson, is “Leadership Through Safety.”
