Polk Township Volunteer Fire Company members gathered Saturday evening inside their social hall for the annual banquet.

Bryan Beck, the 2023 fire department president, was the stand-in emcee, as outgoing president Chad Snyder was sick.

“Chad wants to thank everyone for their continued support and begin the night with a moment of silence for those we lost this year,” Beck said.

Patsy George, president of the ladies’ auxiliary, presented Beck with a check for $20,000, which was money raised at monthly breakfasts and other events in 2022.

The monthly breakfasts are the third Sunday of the month. There is no breakfast in July and August.

Fire chief Billy Tippett said that 2022 started out dismal.

“There were calls that tested us and made us rally around each other,” he said.

He was referring to two devastating house fires, in which there were fatalities, early in the year.

In 2022, there were 216 emergency responses, 710 hours spent on calls, 1,463 hours doing training, and 1,581 hours fundraising, he said.

His goals for 2023 include radio replacement, formation of a rapid intervention team, buy an apparatus and grow membership.

“We are accepting membership applications. We are at the firehouse every Monday night,” he said.

Eight members were recognized for their milestone years of service: Rick Sawyer, 10 years; Rick Sherer, 25 years; Aaron Keller, 30 years; Rusty Burger, Bill Smith and Bill Thompson, 35 years; Mary Lou Hawk, 40 years; and Barry Borger, 45 years.

Polk Township supervisor Michael Hurley swore in Borger as the emergency management coordinator and William J. Tippett as the assistant emergency management coordinator.

Tippett thanked Hurley and supervisors Brian Ahner and Carl Heckman for “being a huge asset. They do a lot for us, and we appreciate it.”

Tippett announced his 2023 line officers: Derrick Burger, deputy chief; Matt Schessler, assistant chief; Jim Schaefer, captain; Mike Sabo and Patrick Soucy, lieutenants; Zachary Schoenberger, engineer; and Bryon Bonser, fire police captain.

Beck announced the other 2023 executive officers: Wendy Cronshey, vice president; Candy Burger, secretary; Cindy Haydt, treasurer; and Rich Beck, Aaron Keller, Jamie Heller, Rick Sawyer and Bill Thompson, directors.

George announced her board: Fern Smith, vice president; Shirley Haydt, secretary; Gail Anders, treasurer; Vicky Serfass, corresponding secretary; and Dottie Jeker, event coordinator.

For more information about the fire company: https://polkfire35.org.