The fourth annual First Responders Appreciation Dinner was hosted on Saturday at the Nakusp Legion. It brought together Search and Rescue, fire, and emergency services first responders over a dinner cooked by the Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary and served by the members of the Branch #20 executive.
The dinner started with welcome and thank-you speeches delivered by councillor Len Heppner on behalf of the mayor and the Village of Nakusp, and Steve Tays, the president of the Nakusp Legion.
Tays stated, “We are a small community as far as population is concerned but very large as miles go.” He added that the fire department’s efforts on Canada Day to contain the fire at Box Lake Lumber and at the same time deal with the logistics of putting on the fireworks display for the national day, is the kind of dedication the Arrow Lakes First Responders community is known for.
He added Search and Rescue volunteers in Nakusp recently accomplished the very difficult task when they dealt with the disappearance and drowning death of a young fisherman in Halfway Creek.
The room was relatively full, despite some misunderstanding about the cut-off dates for ticket sales. There were more first responders expected to attend and others who were not able to buy tickets. There were no RCMP officers present and only fire chief Terry Warren came out to represent the fire department. A sea of orange shirts dominated the crowd, and Gordon Hogoboam who is in charge of the Search and Rescue group, thanked the Legion for their hospitality.
The legion extended the invitation to first responders groups in Burton, Hills, and Trout Lake, which falls under the Legion’s membership and is hoping to continue and grow this event in the future.