Letter: Saluting the volunteers

To the editor:

Each year, National Volunteer Week is used to celebrate the hard work of volunteers nationwide. This year, the celebration is April 21^st through April 27^th.

As rescue chief, I would like to thank all of the volunteers who help serve our community. Each year, volunteers with the Lebanon Rescue Department volunteer over 16,000 manpower hours responding to emergency calls, participating in community events, training, and standing by at sporting events. We have been so fortunate to have such a great group of members who truly care for their community.

These men and women get up 24 hours a day and respond to emergency calls, often leaving family plans behind to help a neighbor in need. I would like to thank the community members that help with our large community events each year such as the Community Festival, Clean-Up Day, our Halloween Event and Operation Santa. These programs have continued to grow because of the volunteers, not only from the rescue department, but the community as well. Also, I would like to recognize the other town volunteers who help us through the year.

The Lebanon Recreation Department , Lebanon Fire Department, Lebanon Emergency Management Agency, library volunteers, and all the volunteers on various town boards dedicate their time to our community. Lebanon is very fortunate to have dedicated and passionate volunteers who go above and beyond their call of duty. The rescue volunteers have continued to see an increase in calls and duration of calls, taking them away from their families even longer. Responding to over 800 emergencies last year in addition to the required training and community events is a huge commitment, but the volunteers take it seriously and do it admirably because of their dedication to Lebanon.

The volunteers have to go through the same training and hold the same certifications as full time members, they just do it as volunteers! Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week to volunteers everywhere and to the volunteers with the Lebanon Rescue Department, I am proud to lead such a dedicated group of volunteers.

Chief Samantha J. Cole

Lebanon Rescue Department