Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad Announces Officers for 2023 & Award Recognitions for 2022

Submitted by Sara Hunt

PR Coordinator

Colonial Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad (CBVRS) recently installed officers for 2023, honored Top Call Runners for 2022, and recognized several squad members and community members for exemplary work in 2022.

Along with current and past squad members who attended the annual banquet on Jan. 7, special guests were Robin Schick, Mayor of Colonial Beach, and Greg Deaver, Chief of the Colonial Beach Police Department. CBVRS Rescue Chief Holden Oliff presided at the event with the assistance of CBVRS Treasurer and Life Member Pat FitzGerald. Both Chief Oliff and CBVRS President Nicholas Szobota thanked the Colonial Beach community and the squad members for their dedication and support of the squad’s mission to serve the needs of the Town of Colonial Beach in 2022.

The newly installed Operations Officers for 2023 are:

Rescue Chief – Holden Oliff

Assistant Rescue Chief – Tammy Preston

Captain – Bobby Rivenbark

Lieutenant – Porter Preston

The newly installed Administrative Officers for 2023 are:

President – Nicholas Szobota

Vice President – Donna Shelor

Treasurer – Pat FitzGerald

Secretary – Maria Murillo-Valdez

Board of Directors – Lewis Bowen, Sr. and Troy Green

The following Top Call Runners were recognized:

1st Place, Pat FitzGerald with 342 calls

2nd Place, Anthony Sprout with 83 calls

3rd Place, Holden Oliff with 61 calls

4th Place, Tammy Preston with 51 calls

5th Place, Donna Shelar with 50 calls

Eugenia Urbanck Awards, recognizing citizens who helped to save a life in an emergency situation, were presented to Duane Wyatt for his quick response to ensure a patient’s survival from severe burns before EMS arrived, and to Jymeen Brown, for providing assistance prior to EMS arrival to a young patient who had suffered extensive injuries from a dog attack. Both of these occurrences were deemed “Calls of the Year” in 2022.

Individuals receiving plaques of appreciation included Michael and Valerie Mayo, Karen Foxwell, and Diane and John “Andy” Anderson.

Additional appreciation certificates were awarded to the following individuals and organizations:

CBVRS Support Team

Donna Shelar, CBVRS Vice President, Chaplain and Life Member

Pat FitzGerald, CBVRS Treasurer and Life Member

Colonial Beach Town Council

Westmoreland County Department of Emergency Services

Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office

Colonial Beach Volunteer Fire Department

Colonial Beach Police Department

Pat Ward, Jr., CPA and Amy Ward

“Congratulations to the new officers, the Top Call Runners and everyone who was recognized at the annual banquet for going above and beyond the call of duty in 2022,” said CBVRS President Nicholas Szobota. “We also appreciate the generous financial contributions that citizens and local businesses have made to the building fund for our new squad headquarters. Watch for more information about that project coming soon.”