Salisbury Township volunteers, their family members and friends, and township officials filled the meeting room in the administration building to capacity for a sit-down dinner to honor more than 13 individuals and organizations for their community service.

What filled the room even more to capacity and overflowed was the sense of dedication, humility, good cheer, joviality and spirit of community involvement evident at the affair.

While a total of the volunteer hours wasn’t available, Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners President James A. Brown perhaps captured the tone and intent of the April 20 Salisbury Township volunteer recognition ceremony best when he said in his opening remarks, “It would be hard to imagine what this world would be like without volunteers.”

In the world of Salisbury, volunteering runs the gamut from fighting fires, to coaching youth sports, to helping out at a hospital, to rescuing injured animals.

The township residents’ volunteer work goes well past the borders of Salisbury, from Limeport to Stroudsburg and beyond.

April was declared Volunteer Month by the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners.

At the approximate one and one-half hour event, which included a catered dinner, soft drinks, coffee and cake, each volunteer stepped to the podium to be presented with a plaque as the list of his or her contributions to the community was read by a township commissioner.

Brown presented awards to:

•Adam Al-Khal, for volunteering at Western Salisbury Fire Department for 11 years where he’s now president and deputy chief.

•Township Commissioner James Seagreaves, for volunteering at Eastern Salisbury Fire Department for 16 years and coaching for Salisbury Youth Association.

•Commissioner Joanne Ackerman presented awards to:

•Charles Beck, who has served on the township planning commission since 1978, has been chairman since 1994, and is part of the effort to recognize his uncle, Lester Young, as founder of youth sports in the township.

•Charles and Myrtie Heil, for their volunteer work at Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest and LVH - 17th Street.

Board of Commissioners Vice President Robert Martucci Jr. presented awards to:

•Michael Krauss, for his coaching and mentoring in youth and junior league sports, including baseball, football and wrestling for Salisbury Youth Association as well as at the Limeport Stadium, Upper Saucon Township.

•Suzanne Martin, for volunteering for cleanup at Walking Purchase Park and refurbishing of the retention basin at the township administration building. “She made Jim [Brown] and I look bad,” Martucci quipped of her exceptional work during the 2016 park cleanup. Martucci also presented her with a turtle shell found at the park.

Commissioner Debra Brinton presented awards to:

•Valentine Durner, for her care-taking of the Franko Farm Park Farmhouse. The honor was shared with her late husband Charles. “They made the area picture-worthy no matter what the time of year,” Brinton observed.

•Barbara Miller, for her wildlife rescue services for the township police department and Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Stroudsburg. In explaining her casual attire, Miller recounted she had arrived at the dinner ceremony directly from having rescued an animal. “Every time I have something nice for me, some damn animal gets in trouble,” Miller joked to much laughter.

•Dan Mohry, for volunteering for coaching youth sports, including baseball and basketball for decades and helping the elderly and underprivileged and at community events including the annual car show in the township.

Seagreaves presented awards to:

•Kyle Mertl, for volunteering at Eastern Salisbury Fire Department for more than 20 years and for certifications received and positions held there.

•Salisbury Township Planning Commission members, for reviewing and updating the township zoning ordinance in a multi-year project. Planning Commission members attending included Charles Beck, chairman; Richard Hassick; Dr. William R. Licht; Richard Schreiter and Glenn Miller, secretary.

Brown made a special presentation honoring The Swain School, for continued generosity and support of Western Salisbury Fire Department, including the donation of land for expansion of the fire company facility. Accepting were Swain Head of School Dr. Shannan Boyle Schuster and Swain Chief Financial Officer Bob Haas.