Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Firefighters from all county departments except Syracuse attended the 59th annual Firefighters Fish Fry Thursday.
N. Bruce Howe, Winona Lake Fire Department chief emeritus, emceed the event, entertaining the crowd with jokes and stories.
Annual awards were given out, with the Service Award given to Harold Barker, a 49-year veteran of Pierceton Fire Department.
Firefighter of the Year award recipient Frank Federico, Silver Lake, was unable to attend the fish fry - he was admitted to Kosciusko Community Hospital for a health problem Thursday morning.
Silver Lake Fire Department chief Rob Clark accepted Federico's award and said Federico, an 18-year member of SLFD, is "the most diehard, gutsy, get-it-done man I've ever met."
"This man is definitely a lifer," Clark said. "He's a model member of our department."
As a special award for 65 years of dedicated service to the Winona Lake Fire Department, Howe received a certificate of recognition from the Kosciusko County Fireman's Association and a silver fire hose trophy from the WLFD. Howe also was awarded with the Distinguished Hoosier Award by State Fire Marshal M. Tracy Boatwright.
Fish for the annual Firefighters Fish Fry was donated by Home and Farm Mutual Insurance Co.
