Barbara Lawlor, Black Hawk.  We all know that firefighters are tough, and serious. They have to be to save our homes, our wild land and our lives. They are highly disciplined and trained to focus on their job, to be in the required gear for whatever job they are doing.

But sometimes…sometimes, they wear gangsta pants that drag in the back, revealing orange boxer shorts. Sometimes they wear tuxedos with bow ties and croon duets just like a couple members of the rat pack. Sometimes the chief’s wife joins three rapper chicks who rhyme out a descriptions of the firefighters that has the audience belly laughing.

You had to have been there.

On Saturday night, the Timberline Fire Protection District held their annual awards banquet and the evening was filled with raucous humor, brotherly love and re-gifted special awards. It also gave honor where honor was due.

A red candle burned in front of a plaque for those who were no longer with us: the red candle was for the passion a firefighter has for his work and the flames was for their effort and commitment.

The fun began when TFPD Glenn Levy began handing out awards that could be described as creative, dug out of his memory trunk from decades of firefighting. There were winter caps for all and Chief Levy quipped that some of the members needed them all year round. An Alan Greene grant enabled all the firefighters to receive new uniforms, pants, shirt, t-shirt and underwear.

Rick Wenzel, vice president of the Board of Directors announced his retirement saying, “We are in a really good place. It is time for me to step aside. Chief Levy fell into our laps at a good time and we now have a great relationship with other rural fire districts. Our reputation is growing.” Firefighter Dennis Whalen also retired after 11 years of service.

Chief Levy and VP Wenzel were both gussied up in black tuxedos; Wenzel with a red bow tie and Levy with a black bow tie, vying for the better looking vote. Responding to requests for a song, they sang Happy Birthday to a person whose birthday actually takes place many months from now.

The firefighters made a huge contribution to the Gilpin County Fair, working the pancake breakfast and learning that flapjacks are cooked on a grill, not in a toaster.

Chief Levy announced that in 2015, a fire station was robbed three times. The person who broke into the station was caught on video tape in Lakewood, breaking into a change machine at a car wash, with a Timberline axe. He had brought the change machine up to a TFPD station, broke in and left the axe at the station.

There were no injuries to a firefighter, no equipment wrecks and no citizens taken to the ground by any firefighter in the district this past year. The budget deficit was whittled down to$45,000 and now is at an $80,000 surplus. The TFPD was featured in a the FDA magazine. Levy said he always wanted to be the City on the Hill and the district is moving in on that goal.

The youngest member of the department, Blake Ondr, 6, was given a plaque with his picture on it for the young firefighter award.Plaques with pictures were given to all the fire personnel who won the following awards during the year:

Firefighter of the year: Charles “Chip” Smith, who also     received a bar of soap for his colorful verbalizing

Officer of the year: Eric Douglas

Rookie: Chris Samuelson

Garden Award: Todd Barron won this award, formerly the Most Improved, signifying his growth as a firefighter as well as the Chef’s Award for grilling burgers at last summer’s open houses.

Chiefs Award: Jennifer Hinderman for everything that exemplifies kindness and honor, an unsung hero whose hand is always on the tiller.

Station of the Year: Stn 8

Those were the serious, annual awards that are treasured by those who earn them. There were also fun awards from chief Levy. John Carder, known for his delicious banana bread, received a hand baked stack of bread pierced by a juicy banana, the epitome of freshness.

Todd Barron was chided for his extensive use of his cell phone and as the crowd gasped, chief Levy dropped the phone into a glass of water.

One of the most special awards went to Chris Schimanskey who is never seen without a toothpick clenched in his teeth. The chief gave him a foot long toothpick that he had hard time balancing between his lips.

Black Hawk and Central City Fire chiefs and the director of Gilpin County Ambulance received Timberline underwear. John Carder, Chip Smith and David Taylor received $100 prizes for being major responders to calls in the past year.

Representing the High Country Auxiliary, Timberline’s support group, Diane Rittenhouse said, “I can’t tell you how refreshing this last year has been. We are so happy and so proud of our relationship with Timberline.

Definitely the high point of the evening however was the opening musical number by the Gilpin County Rap Group, after which Chief Levy said he was probably going to need therapy. That must have been the baggy pants bit performed by Chip Smith.

The 2016 TFPD Awards Dinner should get the Best Awards Dinner Award. It honored the firefighters as well as giving everyone who attended, a well-deserved light-hearted even.

When the last piece of cheese cake with whipped cream was whisked off the table, Chief Levy said, “Don’t be afraid to help put away the chairs.”