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Annual Awards Banquet
Saturday, January 4, 2014

The Officers and Members of the Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary, our neighboring Fire Companies and invited guests attended the Annual Awards Banquet.

During the morning, our Ladies Auxiliary worked hard in the kitchen to prepare the nights dinner. We are once again grateful to the men and women of the Chirsitiana Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary who served our dinner. Another great job by our neighboring FIre Company and Ladies Auxiliary.

Committee Chairperson Cheryl Dennis welcomed everyone and introduced our guest DVFA Chaplain Robert Hudson for the Invocation. Afer a delcious meal, Chairperson Dennis introduced our Master of Ceremonies, our Honorary Member Ken McMahon.

After the Introdcution of our guests, Chief McMahon introduced our Ladies President President Nancy Migliavacca and Vice President Marilou Stewart. Service Awards were presented to the Ladies Auxiliary Members that were in attendance. President Migliavacca introduced the 2013 and 2014 Ladies Auxiliary Officers. President Migliavacca then presented a check for $25,000.00 to President Ed Kalinowski and Chief Jamie Rosseel. The ladies earmarked the monies to assist with our Fire Suppression Equipment. A standing ovation was given to the Best Ladies Auxiliary in the State of Delaware.

President Kalinowski and Chief Rosseel then introduced the Past Presidents, Past Chiefs and our outstanding Career Staff that were in attendance and also introduced the 2013 and 2014 Fire Company Officers. Service Awards were presented to the members in attendance. The following members were recognized as our new Support Life Members with 25 Years of Service: John L. Boyer, James L. Hinton III, Marion F. Ruba Sr., Donald E. Stamper Jr., Ronald E. Stamper, Robert H. Sutton and David B. Veasey Jr.

Receiving their 50 Years of Service recognition was Harry J. Bright and Herbert W. Netsch Jr. Robert W. Heeren was not in attendance. Robert C. Janiszewski Sr. was recognized for 55 Years of Service. Both Jasper H. Lakey and Charles Neel were recognized for their 65 Years of ACTIVE service. 65 Years of continuous active service!

Once the service awards were completed, President Kalinowski and Chief Rosseel announced the following award recipients:

500 Hours of Fire School Awards were presented to Melissa Kiger, Albert Schrack and Dave Hall.

1,000 Hours of Fire School Award was presented to Ed Kalinowski.

1,500 Hours of Fire School Award was presented to Sam Boots.

2,000 Hours of Fire School Award was presented to Phil Smith.

Top EMT Responder was Albert Schrack.

Top EMS Driver Responder was Josh Sinex.

Top Fire / Rescue Alarms Responder was Dave Hall.

William C. Poppe Sr. Memorial Cadet Member of the Year Award was presented to Waldemar W. [Will] Poppe III.

Vincent F. Malloy – Michelle L. Smith Memorial Emergency Medical Responder of the Year Award was presented to Albert V. Schrack.

President – Chief Award [Member of the year Award] was presented to William J. Sahm Jr.

President Emeritus Harry Bright Memorial Award was present to William A. [Mike] McMichael III.

President’s Award was presented to Harry J. Bright, Robert C. Costango Sr. and Herbert W. Netsch Jr.

Chiefs Award was presented to David W. Hall Jr. and Allan T. MacKenzie II.

Chief Emeritus Charles Neel Award was presented to Waldemar W. [Wally] Poppe Jr.

Cadet Coordinator Bill Sahm and the Cadet Members that were in attendance presented to the Fire Company a new AED to be placed on the apparatus.

Life Member Margaret [Peggy] Poppe presented her annual $1,000.00 donation to our Cadet Program.

President Kalinowski and Chief Rosseel presented Honorary Membership to DVFA Chaplin Reverend Robert Hudson. President Kalinowski then proceeded to appoint him as the new Chaplain of the Delaware City Fire Company.

The next Honorary Membership was presented to Jase Michael Lyons, son of Member Shyla Mazzaferro and Ray Lyons. Jase was diagnosed in utero with Double Output Right Ventricle and Stenosis of the Pulmonary Artery, both Congenital Heart Defects after his birth on June 13, 2013. He has since had several open heart surgeries and other procedures. Jase’s Heart Journey has a special place in the hearts of the Fire Service in Delaware but no more special than with us at the Delaware City Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary. Jase is a welcomed addition to our Fire Company Family and we will fight the fight with him! Our table favor for each attendee was the red bracelet that was designed by friends of Shyla and Ray that have Jase’s Heart Journey on them.

Before the night was turned over the DJ Frank “JuneBug / Internet Thug” Torres of RockDat Entertainment, President Kalinowski and Chief Rosseel recognized the Best Ladies Auxiliary in the State of Delaware by presenting to the Active Ladies for 2013 a gift card and red rose for all of their hard work for the past year.

The Active Crew Gift was a tan pullover given out to all the Active Members of the Fire Company and Active Life Members.

Also recognized at this time was Honorary Member Ruth Press who has continued to financially support our Fire Company in an unbelievable fashion.

They both then recognized their wives and thanked them for their support during the past year and they presented each other’s wives with a bouquet of flowers.

Our new Chaplin, Reverend Robert Hudson then spoke about his love for our Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary and thanked us for making him an Honorary Member and then proceeded on to give the Benediction.

A big thank you to the Banquet Committee again for doing a wonderful job. This year’s theme was a Candy Cain theme and we were assisted with the decorations by our Career Staff Ken Getty and his wife Loretta.

Thank you to the Bartenders, Gina Smith, Michael Edwards and Robert McFarland and to the Collingdale, PA Volunteer Fire Company, No. #2 and the Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company for supplying crews to cover our Fire and EMS Alarms tonight.

Another great event in the history books of the Delaware City Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary!