Recognition and celebration were the order of the evening on Friday, May 16 as the Escalon Consolidated Fire Protection District hosted its 16th annual Appreciation Dinner.
Staged at the Azores Band Hall, the night started with a social hour, followed by a catered dinner and then a brief program, which included a couple of long-term service awards.
Fire Chief Rick Mello presented Dave Velasco, engineer, with his 25-year service plaque. Mello indicated that Velasco – who began as a volunteer/reserve firefighter and was hired as an engineer about five years ago – had just recently worked his final shift with Escalon Fire, as he is moving on to a new department.
Receiving a 35-year continuous service plaque was Mickey Schilber; he began with the department as a volunteer and then made the move to the Board of Directors, a position he still holds, having been involved with the department since 1990, said Mello.
The rest of the department’s Board of Directors includes Joe Camara, Jason Koops, Zach Hogan and Laura Catrina; all were in attendance at the Friday night dinner.
The department personnel for Escalon Fire currently includes Battalion Chiefs Joe Pelot and Moe Silva, with Engineers Cassidy Bohannon and Ryan Burr.
Reserve firefighters are Mark Bennett, Giavanni Brunetti, Kaden Christensen, Dylan Criteser and Ayden Wilson. Volunteers are Jonathan Boudreaux, Julien Harrison, Dominic Harvey, Adam Kunkel, Nathan Rodriguez, Joshua Romersa, Robert Vierra and Roman Villalovoz.
Administrative Assistant is Katy House; Mello noted the work that House put in to pull the appreciation dinner together and also thanked reserve firefighter Criteser for his efforts in working with House on the event.
Brenda Davis was in attendance to provide the invocation before dinner; her late husband Jim Davis served as the department chaplain for many years.
The program also made note of Honorary Members, including the late James R. Layton and his father, the late Brent Layton; Mark Hogan; and the husband/wife team of Glenn and Terri Van Ruler.
The on-duty crew of Battalion Chief Silva and reserves Bennett and Christensen had to leave the dinner for a time – dispatched to a call – and Mello said that just pointed out not only the sacrifices that firefighters make but also those that their families do.
“I want to say, to our wives, our significant others, to our kids, or whatever relatives, whoever has to put up with us and what we do – that’s 42 years for me – and let’s just say I can get a little high strung at times,” Mello explained. “Seen things I probably wish I wouldn’t have seen but to everybody who is our support network … we thank you and God bless what you put up with and thank you for standing beside us in everything that we do; because when we go out the door, you go out the door.”
Among special guests, San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow was in attendance, as was Escalon Public Works Superintendent Juston Collins; both were thanked by Mello for the spirit of cooperation built up among the various agencies.
Rounding out the evening was a drawing for several donated prizes, with Chief Mello drawing the tickets and board members delivering the prizes to the winners.
