Christmas Awards 2023 & Surprise Retirement Party

Robert Rushing received the first award of the evening earning his 25 years of service award as well as being named an Honorary Member. Not only did Robert serve the Upper Scioto Valley Ambulance District but he also served in Kentucky all while fighting health problems related to his time in the military. Robert is also serving as a Leader for the youth ministry program LifeWise Academy at USV Schools. Robert is a great Paramedic who has officially retired from EMS. 

Up next was the dynamic duo Robin and Doug LaRue. These two are people many of us look up to for many different reasons. These two have given 30 years to our ambulance district. All while creating and raising their family and taking care of their sicked loved ones. Robin and Doug both work at full-time jobs and serve our ambulance district when they are not at their other jobs. These two have mentored many of us and shown us what it means to give back. Robin, Doug and their family have been a part of the backbone of this ambulance district. It is amazing all they have been apart of to helping make this ambulance district what it is today. Doug had a vision and with the support of his family he didn't know the word no. He fought hard to help grow this district and make it what it is today.

Following the dynamic duo was none other than our longest running member on our department. Kurt has been an amazing asset from day one. In 1974 Kurt took a giant leap of faith and decided he wanted to not only learn to take care of his family in case of an emergency but also care for the members of our ambulance district. Rolling into 2024 Kurt has officially given 50 years to this ambulance district. 50 years!! Kurt not only served the ambulance district but he also served on the fire department for Alger and the Lions Club. Kurt has been a friend and a confidant to many people over the years. The members of the department have been truly honored to have served with Kurt.

Following the years of service awards were the Twila Kilburn-Zapp Memorial Award and the Vickie Ward Memorial Award. Ashlie Good was named the Twila Kilburn-Zapp Memorial Award winner for 2023. Twila gave a lot of time and heart to the south side of our ambulance district for 33 years. She always tried to fight hard for what she believe in and what she wanted for the members of the Roundhead/McDonald Township area. She didn't get much of the opportunity to serve the district as a whole due to her battle with cancer but when it was time to move this district into the next era and combine as one while it was hard for her to do so she did it because she knew it was what was best for the district as a whole. Twila gave 33 years of her life to EMS all while raising her children, battling cancer not once but twice, and working full-time. When choosing the recipient of this award Chief Helton wanted to choose someone who fights hard for what they believe in, someone who gives back to their community, someone who gives of themselves freetly so this year the award went to Ashlie Goodin. Ashlie has given so much of herself to our ambulance district in her short 3 years of service with the district. Ashlie always goes above and beyond what her job duties are, helping in any way that she can. Not only did Ashlie work at the station full-time Monday through Friday for two years and helped Chief Helton in anyway that she could, but she also covered the highest number of on call hours for the year. Just in the year 2023 above and beyond her normal 40 hours a week, Ashlie covered an additional total of 2,296 hours for on call and was the 2nd highest in number of runs for the year covering 276 runs in 2023. 

The Vickie Ward Memorial Award is always a hard one to choose because the award has always meant so much to the department. Vickie Ward served the Upper Scioto Valley Ambulance District for 18 years before her life was cut too short due to her disease. Vickie was a mentor to so many. Chief Helton stated "Vickie took me under her wing and I have always said I hope to be at least half the provider she was. Vickie was more than a team member she became a friend and a confidant." Vickie always loved to teach people and guide people along the way. She loved everything about EMS and was an amazing Paramedic. There was no stopping Vickie. She would put her mind to something and not stop until it was completed and achieved. This year the Vickie Ward Memorial Award was presented to Jason Helton. New to being a first responder he wasted no time and jumped head first into 36 hour fire school obtaining his volunteer firefighter certification on August 8, 2020. In that same year he jumped right into EMR schooling and obtained his EMR certification on December 15, 2020. Two years later he got right back into school and obtained his EMT certification on June 11, 2022. Shortly after finishing his EMT schooling he began Firefighter Level 1 schooling obtaining that certification on April 4, 2023. Jason did all of this while working full-time, raising a family, covering 911 EMS calls and covering 911 Fire calls. Jason has always helped in any way that he could from installing cameras, door locks, hanging Christmas lights, and fixing anything broken, just to name a few. He is always wanting to learn, enjoys helping others who are learning and is always looking for new ways to improve fire and EMS in the community. Jason covered a total of 903 on call hours and 70 runs in 2023.