The Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners recognized 12 residents for their volunteer work in the community at a ceremony April 16 at the municipal building.

Kirk and Kristine Alder were the first to be honored. According to the nomination, Kirk Alder began coaching in 2006 - 13 years of football, five years of baseball, four years of wrestling and two years of soccer. Often he was coaching two sports in a year.

Kirk Alder served four years as Salisbury Youth Association associate director of wresting and has been the associate director of football for the past eight years. He was one of the seven people who helped to create the Colonial Youth Football League in which SYA competes. He has been the league representative for five years.

Kristine Alder has been a team mom for football and baseball and has been operating the SYA concession stand, where she became director in 2011.

As director, Kristine is responsible for also transporting the food to the high school for football season. She also works with the wrestling club supplying dinner to the high school wrestlers, managers and coaches on match and tournament days. And, according to Commissioner President Robert Martucci Jr., who presented the award, she did much of this volunteer work while fighting a breast cancer battle which she fought and won.

Former Commissioner James Brown was also recognized for his volunteer service to Salisbury. In addition to 14 years as a commissioner, Brown is a volunteer with Western Salisbury Fire Department, has volunteered for 10 years with Big Brother/Big Sisters of Lehigh Valley and delivers meals with Meals on Wheels when time allows.

Brown also volunteered as a youth bowling instructor and coach at Parkway Lanes for 13 years. He was Coach of the Year 1999-2000 and received the junior Olympic bronze medal of coaching. He coached the travel league for three years. He was Big Brother of the Year in 1982 and was on the board of directors for two years. Brown still sees his “little brother” who is now in his 40s. Martucci presented the award to Brown.

Rosalie Maehrer was honored by Commissioner Joanne Ackerman for starting the Reach Out and Read program while a nurse at Lehigh Valley Pediatric Clinic 19 years ago. In that time, 17,000 children have visited the clinic and 8,000 books per year have been given to the children. Each child from six months to five years old receives a new book from their doctor at the wellness visit.

Rosalie Maehrer and her husband Jim were active in the booster club while raising their three boys in Salisbury Township and she has mentored four girls from Liberia. Maehrer still works as a school nurse in Salisbury each fall.

Ackerman also presented an award to Robert Agonis who volunteers at the drop off centers. Adjectives used to describe Agonis include enthusiastic, friendly, dependable and industrious, very rarely missing a day at the drop off centers. He is very interested in township events and seldom misses a township meeting and other events.

Commissioner James Seagreaves presented the next award to Dennis Grejda for his involvement with the youth in the community. Grejda moved into the township in 1978 and became active in SYA 1984 through 1995. He coached baseball and wrestling.

As a retired engineer from Mack Trucks, he was a guest speaker at Salisbury High School talking to students on the applications of physics principles in the industrial environment.

After retirement, he coached the SYA spring and fall Lehigh Valley League baseball teams and planned and created a highly motivated player development program which he conducts weekly January through March at various indoor facilities. “Thank you for working with the youth of our community, imparting your vast knowledge of the game upon them and molding their character by your leadership,” Seagreaves said.

Seagreaves also honored Keith Carson for his work as the creator and administrator of the Facebook page, “Citizens of Salisbury Township.” Carson posts township information, school accomplishments, meetings, awards and recognitions on the page to keep the residents informed. The page has over 1,700 members and has been active since December 2015.

Commissioner Debra Brinton recognized William Remo Jr. for volunteering for over 50 years. He joined Salisbury Fire Co. #1 in 1967 serving with the ambulance corps and fire department. The Salisbury Township Firemen’s Relief Association was formed in 1948 with Remo serving as the first president. He retired this year after serving 40 years as president. From 1967 to 1977, he was also active in SYA serving as a coach and umpire.

Brinton also recognized Chief of the Eastern Salisbury Fire Department Dave Tomcics, who was unable to attend. Tomcics started at age 16 as a junior fireman. Brinton said he leads by example by recruiting new members, asking others to give of their time, keeps morale up, files reports and orders equipment. He was thanked for the sacrifice of his time at all hours of the day or night, no matter the weather, to protect the citizens of Salisbury.

Eastern Salisbury Fire Department’s Assistant Chief Ian Dodson also received recognition for his work with the fire department. He has held positions within the department including fire police, captain, president and assistant chief. His award was presented by Brinton.

Jim Marsh was recognized for his work with the Western Salisbury Fire Department, for which he has been a member since 2001. He joined the department to be a photographer and has highlighted the township fire companies in the Salisbury Press and has kept the department in the public eye. Commissioner Rodney Conn praised Marsh for his commitment and dedication to Western Salisbury and said he is invaluable as a true member of the Western Salisbury family.

Last to receive an award was Darrell R. Singles, a volunteer with the Western Salisbury Fire Department. Singles moved to Salisbury in 1999 when he was 13. When he turned 16, then Chief Jack Kelly welcomed Singles as a junior firefighter.

Singles has been involved for 15 years and now serves as captain. In addition to attending many firefighting classes, including petroleum pipeline training in Texas, he is responsible for raising money to supply all fire companies in Lehigh County with at least one air mask specially designed for reviving pets in case of smoke inhalation. He has fostered over five pit bulls and volunteers to be an “Allentown Angel” for Rescue Road Trips.

Following the awards presentation, volunteers and their families enjoyed a dinner catered by Diana’s Cafe and Catering and coordinated by township administrative assistant Lisa Casey.

See additional photos at http://salisbury.thelehighvalleypress.com.