ANNUAL SQUAD AWARDS

Every June, at our annual awards banquet, we honor individuals who have stood out among the membership. While each of our members shows a high level of commitment, the following individuals have gone past the norm of what is expected by meeting the criteria set out for each of the following awards...

Squad Member of the Year

The Squad Member of the Year Award is given to an active member who meets the following criteria: (this award is voted on by the membership)

  • Serves as a role model for other squad members.
  • Possess good public relations skills.
  • Puts the squads interest over personal desires.
  • Serves as an educator to our new members.
  • Instills pride in the organization to other members.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    85-86 Rich Lutz
    86-87 Rich Lutz
    87-88 Raymond James
    88-89 Raymond James
    89-90 Sue Moffett
    90-91 Dea MaHanes
    91-92 Jim Miller
    92-93 Jim Miller
    93-94 Dayton Haugh
    94-95 Dayton Haugh
    95-96 Dayton Haugh
    96-97 Benjamin Sojka
    97-98 Benjamin Sojka
    98-99 Benjamin Sojka
    99-00 Benjamin Sojka
    00-01 Benjamin Sojka
    01-02 William Spencer
    02-03 Steve Hartman
    03-04 Benjamin Sojka
    04-05 Steve Hartman
    05-06 Benjamin Sojka
    06-07 Benjamin Sojka
    07-08 JV Nable

    Advanced Life Support Technician of the Year

    The ALS Technician of the Year Award is given to an active ALS member who meets the following criteria: (this award is voted on by the membership)

  • Is well respected by the medical profession.
  • Serves as a resource to other squad members.
  • Takes the time to teach others ALS skills.
  • Continues to take classes to improve his/her patient care abilities.
  • Provides quality patient care to the community.
  • Has an excellent bedside manor with patients.
  • Tends to be extremely knowledgeable and competent.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    85-86 Marc Winstead
    86-87 John Burruss
    87-88 Bob Brown
    88-89 Jeff Garrison
    89-90 Blee Moffett
    90-91 John Hood
    91-92 Blee Moffett
    92-93 Jim Miller
    93-94 Jim Miller
    94-95 Robert Abramson
    95-96 Jim Miller
    96-97 Robert Hamilton
    97-98 Charlotte Menk
    98-99 Rob Hamilton
    99-00 John Kheir
    00-01 John Kheir
    01-02 John Kheir
    02-03 Kevin Boyer
    03-04 Anthony Yoder
    04-05 Anthony Yoder
    05-06 Jeff Ferguson
    06-07 Anthony Judkins
    07-08 Anthony Judkins

    Rookie of the Year

    The Rookie of the Year Award is given to a member who has been affiliated with the squad for less than two years and who meets the following criteria: (this award is voted on by the membership)

  • Presents self with professionalism to the community and his/her colleagues.
  • Has excelled in patient care abilities.
  • Serves as a role model to other new members.
  • Shows a willingness to learn.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    85-86 Neil Bell
    86-87 Raymond James
    87-88 Judy Nettles
    88-89 Sue Moffett
    89-90 Chris Cannon
    90-91 Jim Miller
    91-92 Andrew Baxter
    92-93 Clint Butts
    93-94 Anne Giles
    94-95 Emily Pelliccia & Sam Luber
    95-96 Shawn Tevendale
    96-97 Charlotte Menk
    97-98 John Kheir
    98-99 Frank Fernandez
    99-00 Margarethe Goetz
    00-01 David Starmer
    01-02 Jake Benner
    02-03 Matt Borloz
    03-04 Anthony Judkins
    04-05 Andrew Barros
    05-06 Jim Anderson
    06-07 Ashley Blair
    07-08 Sam Kim

    Most Calls of the Year

    The Most Calls of the Year Award is given to the member that runs the most calls in the previous fiscal (June 1st to May 31st) year period.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    1985 Alan Williamson
    1986 Robert Mullinax (336)
    1987 Rich Lutz
    1988 Alan Williamson
    1989 Tommy Dudley (433)
    1990 Chris Reilly
    1991 James Fletcher
    1992 Landon Harris
    1993 Landon Harris
    1994 Chris Reilly
    1995 Joe Phillips
    1996 Shawn Tevendale
    1997 John Kheir / Darren Chen (473)
    1998 Michael Kurz (506)
    1999 John Kheir / Darren Chen (395)
    2000 Katherine Descherer (423)
    2001 Sarai Fourtney (680)
    2002 Lucas Beirne
    2003 Robert Walker (520)
    2004 Sara Hald (709)
    2005 Anthony Judkins (520)
    2006 Ashley Blair (461)
    2007 Will Barnhardt (768 - current record)

    The President's Award

    The President's Award is given by the President of the Organization to the squad member that has helped him/her the most in completion of their duties.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    85-86 Jimmy Harlow
    86-87 Lewis Pound
    87-88 Larry Adams
    88-89 Linda McGlothlin
    89-90 Sue Moffett
    90-91 James Harlow
    91-92 Rich Lutz
    92-93 Cindy Kuykendall
    93-94 Anne Giles
    94-95 Darlene Rea
    95-96 Darlene Rea
    96-97 Darlene Rea & Cindy Kuykendall
    97-98 Cindy Kuykendall
    98-99 Linda Butts & Cindy Kuykendall
    99-00 David Starmer
    00-01 Julie Pendalino
    01-02 Julie Pendalino
    02-03 Kathleen Harding, Elizabeth Marcello & Sonna Patel
    03-04 Kathleen Harding & Mike Bannister
    04-05 Ashleigh Edwards
    05-06 J.V. Nable
    06-07 Laura Johnson
    07-08 Pete Davidson

    The Chief's Award


    The Chief's Award is given by the Chief of the Organization to the squad member that has helped him/her the most in completion of their duties.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    85-86 Bill Henderson
    86-87 John Hood
    87-88 John Burruss
    88-89 Darlene Rea
    89-90 Dayton Haugh
    90-91 Rich Lutz
    91-92 James Fletcher
    92-93 Jim Miller
    93-94 William Spencer & John Albright
    94-95 Dea MaHanes
    95-96 Pete Davidson & Carol Baber
    96-97 Alice Armstrong & William Spencer
    97-98 Marjorie Trotter
    98-99 John Bennett & Benjamin Sojka
    99-00 John Burruss & Nikki Kielar
    00-01 Benjamin Sojka & Kori Hudson
    01-02 Rob Schutt & Nikki Kielar
    02-03 Benjamin Sojka & Steve Hartman
    03-04 William Spencer and Nikki Kielar
    04-05 Anthony Yoder
    05-06 Benjamin Sojka
    06-07 Benjamin Sojka & John Burruss
    07-08 Sarah Lawson & Rob Walker

    The Joel M. Cochran Award

    Joel M. Cochran was the founder of our organization back in the late 1950's. Through the years, Joel held every position in the squad and remained a Board of Director's Member until his health forced him to retire in the early 1990's. Joel remained an icon in our organization, instilling pride and feeling of unity through the years until failing health took him from us in 1995. Rarely a morning went by that Joel didn't stop by the squad on "check" on things and meet new members. Joel is the father of our organization, and with that each year we give an award in his name to the one individual that unselfishly puts the needs of the squad in front of their own personal needs and has basically dedicated much of their life to the improvement of the organization.

    Previous Years Award Winners:

    1992 - Joel Cochran
    1993 - James Harlow
    1994 - Ernest McKamey
    1995 - William Henderson
    1996 - Robert Jaskiewicz
    1997 - John Pannell
    1998 - Larry Claytor
    1999 - Ray Wyland
    2000 - Josh Pritchett
    2001 - Charlie Rausch
    2002 - Pete Davidson
    2003 - Darlene Rea
    2004 - John Hood
    2005 - L. Dayton Haugh
    2006 - John Burruss
    2007 - Jim Miller
    2008 - JW Albright

    Nikki Dawn Kielar Memorial Leadership Award

    Nicole Dawn Kielar was an outstanding Life Member of CARS who was lost in a medivac helicopter crash in 2005. The award is given to someone who has taken the initiative to create and or carry through to completion a task which has made a significant, positive impact on the Rescue Squad’s performance of its Mission Statement. This award is meant to serve as recognition of a person who has helped to insure that the rescue squad continues to provide the services that are demanded of it through new and creative means. Nikki’s efforts to improve, quantify and document the Clinical Review and Training process for the squad as well as insuring that it could serve as a model and integrate with those of other departments and that of the regional EMS Council is an example of such a task. In addition to the completion of a task, the recipient of this award shall be a role model and leader in the department who has dedicated a large amount of his or her time to the successful operation of the Rescue Squad. There are three words that exemplify Nikki; Initiative, Excellence and Commitment.

    This award may not be given on a yearly basis, if in the opinion of the selection committee there is no one eligible to receive it. Those receiving this award do not have to have accomplished the tasks for which they are recognized during the previous year.

    Award Winners:

    2005 - Anthony Yoder
    2006 - John Burruss
    2007 - JV Nable
    2008 - Benjamin Sojka

    Community Partner Commendation

    This award goes out to an individual or local business that goes out of their way to assist the rescue squad in its mission. The inspiration for this award comes from Henry Schaver of Albemarle Towing who spends countless hours of time and money assisting us with our vehicle rescue classes, towing our broken vehicles, and assisting our members when they have mechanical difficulties.

    2007 - Colonial Auto Center Service Department, Senior Master Ford Technician Rob Hudgins
    2008 - Wright's Salvage Yard, Harry & Morgan Wright

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