The staff of Riverbend Family Dining celebrate their win as Organization of the Year at Thursday's Muskingum Valley Beverly-Waterford Chamber of Commerce dinner. Back from left, are chamber Chairman Sam Skinner, Darla Lashley, Hunter Reynolds, Michelle Pridemore, and front, Cris Baker, Stephanie Sells, Gwendolyn Parker and Jericha Cuthbertson

BEVERLY – An annual event honored those who put their lives on the line for the community they serve.

The Muskingum Valley Beverly-Waterford Chamber of Commerce held their 41st annual dinner Thursday at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church Social Hall in Beverly.

The chamber of commerce co-sponsors the service awards with the Sons of the American Revolution, Marietta Chapter of the Ohio Society. Chapter President Douglas Pettit assisted with the presentations.

The purpose of the awards is to recognize standout police officers, firefighters and emergency service workers, said am Skinner, chairman of the chamber of commerce

“There’s not enough recognition for our service leaders: fire, police and EMS. This is our way to recognize their work,” Skinner said.

Cris Baker, owner of Riverbend Family Dining in Beverly, reacts to winning Organization of the Year at the Muskingum Valley Beverly-Waterford Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday. Sam Skinner, chairman of the chamber of commerce, watches. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

Beverly Police Chief Todd Bumbalough presented the Beverly Police Department Employee of the Year.

Bumbalough joked that he and Skinner had to go over how to pronounce his name, saying “It’s like Sesame Street back there!”

Turning serious, he announced Ted Offenberger as the winner. Bumbalough said Offenberger is a 19 year veteran of the department.

“Ted has done a great job for us. Anytime I need him, I give him a call. Ted comes out. He does an excellent job on search warrants for us. We’ve had quite a few since I’ve been here. His investigations are flawless. He’s very much a part of this department,” he said.

Marietta Fire Chief C.W. Durham said he was appreciative to the Chamber of Commerce for recognizing first responders.

Marietta Fire Chief C.W. Durham, Lt. Matt Alloway and Douglas Pettit, with the Sons of the American Revolution Marietta Chapter of the Ohio Society, pose with Alloway’s award at the Muskingum Valley Beverly-Waterford Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)

“I want to make sure that goes said many times over that we appreciate that. Thank you for thinking of the first responders,” he said.

Durham said his department’s recipient was Matthew Alloway. Durham said one of the aspects of his job is to prepare the next generation of firefighters to take over when the time comes.

“Lt. Alloway is one of those people I feel very comfortable and confident that I’ll leave this department in good hands with people like him,” he said.

Durham told a story about how Alloway helped save a drowning victim last year.

“Through his efforts, along with several other key players in the process, they were not only able to get the person back, but they were able to have a full recovery and (get) back to a normal life,” he said.

The chamber also sponsors a $1,000 scholarship which is chosen among Waterford and Fort Frye seniors. Applicants were asked to write about an inspirational person in their community. The two winners, Kaden Dowler and Jaslynn Casto, both wrote about Fort Frye High School history teacher Pam Bennett.

“If anyone turns in their work first, it’s these two,” Bennett said. “I’m so pleased you picked them.”

The Paul King Founders Award was given to Jim Black, a 40-plus-year Beverly-Waterford emergency medical technician. He started Tri County Water with Charles Schilling Sr.

Black accepted the award with one sentence: “My mother taught me, leave a place better than you found it.”

Skinner named Beverly-Waterford Pool Foundation as winner for the Community Service award.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on in Washington County pertaining to this,” he said. “How important it is what this group of people have done for the community. It’s very important what they’ve been able to do.”

Volunteer Amista Lipot said the Beverly pool was closed March 26, 2016. They brought in $36,000 in grants and raised $115,000 to keep it open. She brought up fellow volunteers Chrissy McCurdy, Lisa Huck, and Cris Baker to stand with her.

“We have committed eight years of hours of labor and expertise,” she said. “There’s been money thrown around.”

Lipot said the award wasn’t just for the Beverly-Waterford Pool Foundation, it was for the whole community.

When Riverbend Family Dining was announced as the Organization of the Year, chef Darla Lashley let out an excited shout and celebrated.

“We brought several of our staff but I didn’t tell them why we were bringing them,” owner Cris Baker said.

She continued: “When we opened the Riverbend, our vision was to have a place where people in Beverly-Waterford and the surrounding areas would want to come and eat.”

Awards:

*Belpre Police Department Employee of the Year: Gunnar Smith

*Washington County Sheriff’s Office Employee of the Year: Stacy Holbrooks

*Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year: Trooper Mitch Reynolds

*Beverly Police Department Employee of the Year: Ted Offenberger

*Marietta Fire Department Firefighter of the Year: Matt Alloway

*Emergency Services Employee of the Year: Gwynette Mayer

*Paul King Founders Award: Jim Black

*Community Service: Beverly-Waterford Pool Foundation

*Organization of Year: Riverbend Family Dining

Kristen Hainkel can be contacted at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com