Archie Dennis nominated for Volunteer of the Year

I would like to nominate Archie Dennis as the “Volunteer of the Year” as he is very dedicated to helping people in our community and in the surrounding counties.

Archie has been an emergency medical technician and fireman for many years, and he belongs to three departments in our area. Archie is an EMT with the Grand Coulee Fire Department and Ambulance Service, a fireman in the Coulee Dam Fire Department, and a member of the Elmer City Fire Department. Archie is also a member of the Okanogan Search and Rescue as a diver and Search Team member.

Whenever there is an emergency in our area, he will be there — from a high rope rescue to searching for a plane that has gone down in Banks Lake. Archie also responds when there is a drowning for recovery purposes.

Winter or summer, he will be found on his snowmobile or four wheeler searching for lost people. If a boat sinks or a car goes in the river, Archie is the one who gets the call in the middle of the night. He gives ice- and water-rescue classes to firemen, EMTs and rescue personnel. Archie is always ready to help his neighbors and fellow citizens, young and old, if there is a problem.

I have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of his help several times. Archie can be found every year at the Okanogan County Fair, manning the Search and Rescue booth, and on most weekends all summer he has his boat out on a lake or river somewhere at boat races performing rescue and EMT duties.

Archie is a great asset to our community, and I would urge everyone to vote for him as the “Volunteer of the Year.”

Diane Canady