South County Lions Club President Joe Gomoljak, at left, and Paul Acito, master of ceremonies for the Lions, at right, present county police Cpl. Damien Dzambo and fire department Lt. Russell Davies Jr. with their awards as Policeman of the Year and Firefighter of the Year, respectively. The men were cited for their service to the south county community over the past year. Photo by Mitchelle Stephenson.
Last week the South County Lions Club honored two outstanding public servants: A county police officer from the Southern District Station in Edgewater, and a firefighter/EMS (Emergency Medical Service) from the Harwood Fire Station.
Cpl. Damien Dzambo was named the 2009 Police Officer of the Year and Lt. Russell Davies Jr. was named 2009 Firefighter of the Year.
Lions Club President Joe Gomoljak said the reason for the awards was to honor people in the area who are involved with the community.
Master of Ceremonies Paul Acito came up with the idea for the awards about seven years ago.
"We felt that these guys put their lives on the line every day. They're in danger all the time, and they should be recognized," Acito said.
The winners are limited to police officers and firefighters who serve in south county. The leaders of their respective districts select the winners on behalf of the Lions Club.
Cpl. Dzambo was selected by Capt. Bill Krampf, who nominated the officer in part because he "gives 100 percent effort," all the time."
Capt. Krampf was unable to attend, but sent Lt. Tim Altomane, who read the nomination letter to the assembled club members and other attendees.
Altomane said that Dzambo is not only an officer with an outstanding record of arrests and citations, but also a public servant whose interaction with citizens sets an example for other officers.
He gave several examples including how Dzambo quickly resolved a parental abduction in Edgewater. In that case, a father had taken his 13-year-old son to Florida, denying the mother court-ordered custody. Dzambo tracked down the father, contacted Florida authorities and reunited the mother with her child - all within a 48-hour period.
"I have two kids, and I thought of what we would have to do to get the child back," Dzambo said.
He said he wanted to be a police officer for a long time, but his wife was reluctant to send him into such a dangerous line of work.
After graduating from college, he worked at a lab at the University of Maryland. But he went to the police academy, "as soon as my wife finally said I could," Dzambo said.
For their sacrifices, the Lions presented Dzambo's and Davies' wives, Mollie Dzambo and Tammy Davies, with $100 gift cards to Pirates Cove restaurant in Galesville.
Fire Chief John Robert Ray nominated Firefighter of the Year Lt. Russell Davies Jr.
Capt. James Craze of the Harwood Fire Station stepped to the microphone to read the nominating letter, but he had a few words to say before he began to read.
"Its easy to recognize people who do a few great things, or even one thing. But to do a job at a very high level day after day - that is hard," Craze said, adding that he was personally honored to see Davies receive the award.
Davies is an EMS supervisor who is admired by his peers, subordinates and supervisors. "His calm demeanor and extraordinary level of competency plus a keen eye for safety and customer service make him stand out as worthy of Firefighter of the Year award," Chief' Ray's nominating letter said.
Davies said he is in the job because he likes to help people. "I'm in a unique position (as a supervisor for quality assurance and improvement) to help the public and help coworkers," Davies said.
Both men received a plaque, and framed copies of their nomination letters.
Seven-year old Maddie Currey of Harwood recently received a great honor at the Anne Arundel County Fair in Crownsville. The young artist got both a Best in Show and First Place award for her hand-painted chair, submitted in the handicrafts category.
Maddie painted the chair at the Arts in the Attic summer camp in Lothian.
Donna Schmitz, who suggested to Maddie's mother Laura that she enter the chair, runs the day camp.
Maddie made the chair in a week. "I thought of myself and I wanted it to go in my room and I wanted it to be blue because it is my favorite color," Maddie said.
The chair is blue with red polka dots. Maddie painted her face on the seat.
Laura said that the judge who notified her of the win said that the judges were impressed and that "they could tell that she really did it on her own," she said.
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