Olney Volunteer Fire Dept. Awards Fireman of the Year, Honors Retired Fireman and Installs New Officers at the Annual Banquet

Olney Volunteer Fire Dept. (OVFD) hosted its annual banquet Thursday, Feb. 17, at the Olney Civic Center. Stacey Wade, Niki Wade and Paula Bernhardt decorated the building for this special event.

Master of Ceremony Gunter Rodriguez extended a friendly welcome at 7:04 p.m. Kevin Sullivan offered the opening prayer and invited the guests to partake in a meal prepared by Olney Police Officer Dustin Hudson. The dinner included pork loin, chicken, cubed potatoes, green beans, and blueberry or peach cobbler.

After the meal, Rodriguez returned to the podium to acknowledge special guests such as Olney Police Dept. Chief Dan Birbeck and his wife Wendy, Judge Stan Mahler and his wife Charlotte, Assistant District Attorney Phillip Gregory, retired fireman Cully Williams, Olney Gary Keeter and Jana Keeter, retired Olney police officer Robert Clark and his wife Deena Clark with Olney PD, Young County Commissioner Precinct 3 Stacy Rogers and his wife Penny and Mayor Rue Rogers and his wife, Anna.

Following the acknowledgment of special guests, Fire Chief Clint Pulliam presented the Fireman of the Year Award to Rocky Hickam.

“The entire group votes on this award, but Rocky stood out because he has gone above and beyond his duties to be a great volunteer fireman,” said Pulliam.

Next, Pulliam recognized the retired fireman, Donald Ickert.

“This fireman has been a huge asset to the department and served for 38 years. We had good times and rough times If we had a fundraiser, he was leading the pack. I hate to see him leave the department. He served the community and the department to his very fullest,” Pulliam acknowledged.

Before the evening ended, OVFD secretary Mathew Ickert was in charge of swearing in the new officers.

The 2022 officers are Fire Chief Clint Pulliam, Assistant Fire Chief Kenley Lane, Assistant Fire Chief Rocky Hickam, captain Kade Betts, captain Justin Calhoun, Lieutenant Jason Pack, Lieutenant John Schneider, President Travis Hudson, Vice President Kevin Bullock, Secretary Mathew Ickert, chaplain Kevin Sullivan and Mascot Tucker Cortinez.

The 2022 Firefighters are Len Bernhardt, Mario Cortinez, Spencer Cox, Cody Dixon, Jake Englishbee, Hunter Enloe, Jeff Harvey, Casey Keeter, Homer Molina, Byron Pierce, Justin Pierce, Jerry Don Riggins, Johnny Riggins, Gunter Rodriguez, Teddy Scobee and Danny Speers.

Chief Pulliam thanked Kevin Bullock for securing all the door prizes that included more than 50 prizes that were raffled to guests. OVFD extended a special Thanks to the sponsors: City of Olney, Olney Police Dept., Olney EMS, Young County Sheriff ’s Office, Young County Fire Departments, Dustin and Lisa Hudson, Stacy and Niki Wade, Berend Brothers, Bombers Burgers, Branum PLLC, Brazos Communications, Chucks Quik Change. Cub Nutrition, Dale and Mondie Bullock, Everyday Farm Girl, Fort Belknap Electric Co-op, Olney Floral, Olney Hardware, Olney Tire and Auto, Sonic, Daisy James, J & N Feed, Potters Pizza, Sullivan Electric, Clints/Allstar Fuel, NAPA, Crawfish & Cannons, 3T Meats, Air Tractor, Archer & Gunn, Hometown Coffee & Tea, Stewart’s, Tower Extrusions, Jerry’s Meat Market and Graham National Theatre.