Barbara Lawlor, Peak to Peak.  Last Saturday, July 18, at the Eagle Rock Ranch in Gilpin County, the Timberline Fire Protection District held an awards dinner for their firefighters, former firefighters, Board members and former Board members, members of the High Country Auxiliary, and anyone else associated with the district, past and present.

Honoring the TFPD volunteers was the theme of the day. Feeding them and everybody else was the action item. After everyone had eaten their fill, TFPD Chief Glenn Levy presented the awards for 2014.

This was Levy’s first annual award ceremony and he listed the accomplishments of the past year and the exemplary work of the stations and individual firefighters. Each of the award winners received a mounted old-time helmet and piece of hose, a permanent symbol of dedication and hard work for the district.

Chief Levy said he got up at 4 a.m. to make the trophies. “These men and women spend so much time dedicated to the district, it is only fitting that I award their efforts with some effort of my own.”

The 2014 Timberline Award winners were:

Rookie of the Year: Firefighter Todd Barron

Station of the Year: Station 2

Firefighter of the Year: Firefighter Scott Mathews

Officer of the Year: Lt. Jerry Johnson

Chief’s Award: Chief Paul Ondr

100 Call Club: Lt. Johnson and Firefighter Scott Mathews

Leading Responder: Lt. Johnson

Auxiliary $100 cash awards: Chief Schimanskey, Chief Ondr, and Lt. Johnson.

Chief  Levy named Lt. Jerry Johnson the “Officer of the Year,” saying, “Lt. Johnson was not only a tireless leader throughout the year but responded to over 100 emergency incidents in 2014 and was the department’s leading responder.”

Paul Ondr received the Chief’s Award for his outstanding work in developing a fire apparatus inventory and maintenance program. Ondr’s experience in maintenance, operating and training with fire apparatus was invaluable.

Although Todd Baron received The Rookie of the Year Award, he has grilled so many burgers in the past month, it was remarked that he should have also received the Cook of the Year Award.

Former firefighters, chiefs, assistant chiefs, and Board members John and Fran Etzkorn joined the party. Fran was surprised and pleased to see in attendance so many people she still knew.

The annual awards dinner is an event that ties the past to the present so all the players in the district can look to the future together. It is just a token of the huge appreciation that the officers and Board members feel for their volunteer teams and their families.