Awards Ceremony

 
By Deputy Chief Chris Howell
May 12, 2026
 

Last Friday, Pingree Grove & Countryside held its Annual Awards Ceremony. Awards were given for Years of Service. Life Saving, Unit Citations, Outside Commendations and Firefighter of the Year. All Awards were from the year 2025.

Highlights of the Evening were:

-Five Years of Service: D/C Howell, F/F Haro, F/F Carlini & F/F Keyes.

-Ten Years of Service: F/F Demes, F/F Wilson & F/F Zabler.

-Twenty-Five Years of Service: Lt Demes.

-Thirty Years of Service: Chief Stout.

-Call #25-0473 March 9, 2024
Commendations:
Burlington Fire, Chief Tiedt & F/F Beach
Elburn Fire, F/F Flores, F/F Lang & F/F Wiegert
Hampshire Fire, Chief Herrmann, D/C Larson, Chaplain Mariani, Lt Morgan, Lt Rice, Lt Serrano, F/F Mikolajski & F/F Sardo
LifeNet Medical Helicopter, Pilot Helms, Flight Nurse Freidel & Flight Nurse McLaughlin
LifeStar Medical Helicopter, Pilot Laughary, Flight Nurse Clever-Stock, Filght Medic Giliberto
Hanover Township Emergency Services, Lt Hosaw, Lt Cooke, Lt Ihnen, Lt Luke, Officer DeJesus, Officer Gutierrej & Officer Landt
Life Saving: F/F MacDonald, F/F A. Stout & Owen Stout.
Unit Citations: Lt Demes, F/F Haro, F/F Laporte, F/F Lenox, F/F MacDonald, F/F Malahn, F/F Saccomanno, F/F A. Stout & Owen Stout.

-Call #25-1659 September 8, 2025
Commendations:
Burlington Fire, F/F Bookman, F/F Duesler & F/F Jilch
Hampshire Fire, Chief Schmidt, D/C Larson, Lt Rice & F/F Porto,
Superior AirMed One Helicopter, Pilot Myers, Flight Nurse Lahey & Flight Medic Somonpieteri.
Life Saving:
F/F Childers, F/F Lenox, F/F Malahn, F/F Saccomanno, F/F A. Stout & F/F Wonneberger.

-Call #25-1790 September 29, 2025
Commendations:
Burlington Fire, Chief Tiedt, F/F Duesler, F/F Genenj, & F/F Jilch
Hampshire Fire, D/C Larson, Lt Serrano, F/F Blonski, F/F Reid Bloomberg, F/F Riley Bloomberg, F/F Kojiol, F/F Porto, F/F Susler & F/F Wolf
React Medical Helicopter, Kyla Ruf and Karen Daub-Larson.

-Call #25-2228 December 10, 2025
Life Saving: Lt Heinz, F/F Childers, F/F Stout, F/F Newby & F/F Wonneberger.
Mr. Paul Malone and Family were with us to meet the Personnel that took care of him on this call.

-Call #25-2237 December 11, 2025
Unit Citations: Lt Heinz, F/F Carlini, F/F Haro, F/F Howell, F/F Keyes, F/F Sena & F/F Wangles

-Firefighter of the Year
F/F Kathleen Cwik

A Special Thanks To...........
- The Fire District Trustees for their Unwavering Support
- Gobbert's and Jake Gobbert who provided the Venue and Drinks
- The Foreign Fire Insurance Fund who provided the Food and Flowers
- Double-R BBQ for the Delicious Dinner
- Sweet Cottage for the Desserts
- Awards Committee
- Chief Stout for all his Support
- Burlington & Hampshire Fire for District Coverage
- Members of the Village of Pingree Grove
- Family & Friends for their support in our Careers
- PGCFPD Members for what they do in our Community