“THE STAR�,Wednesday, June 12, 2013 - PAGE 19
CFA honours Leongatha firefighters THE Leongatha CFA Brigade honoured its hardest working and longest serving members at an annual awards dinner
recently. A crowd of 70, made up of members and their families, reflected on the past year of events the brigade attended. Coveted CFA National
Top member: brigade captain Tristan MortonPedersen, left with Firefighter of the Year Damien Thomas.
Going well: Nathan Hawkins (right) took out the Jack Rayson Encouragement Award. He is pictured with brigade captain Tristan Morton-Pedersen.
In it for life: brigade captain Tristan MortonPedersen (left) awards Gary Burns with a life membership.
Medals were presented to long time members Ed Browning and Leo Bentvelzen by regional officer Mark Potter. Ed and Leo also received service medals for 45 and 40 years with the brigade respectively, while Steve Burns and Rob Turner were congratulated on 10 years of service. Nathan Hawkins took out the Jack Rayson Encouragement Award while Damien Thomas took out the Firefighter of the Year award as voted by the members. The brigade also awarded Gary Burns a well deserved life membership.
Long serving: receiving service medals were, from left, Steve Burns, Rob Turner (both 10 years), Leo Bentvelzen (40 years) and Ed Browning (45 years).