Julie Riddle recently brought us the news of Dick Nowak, honored by the Presque Isle Township Board of Trustees with the annual Les Nichols Award for Nowak’s efforts to re-establish the township’s fire department.

We echo the sentiments of township Clerk Cynthia Paavola, who said the award was “well, well, well deserved.”

Nowak’s name will be added to the Citizen of the Year plaque displayed at the township hall.

Nowak and his wife, Sandy, helped raise $1,700 for the fire department to purchase ice rescue equipment in response to a drowning on Long Lake in early January.

As if the award and Nowak’s efforts weren’t enough good news, the Long Lake Association announced at the same meeting at which Nowak was honored that the association would donate $5,000 for the purchase of a portable emergency airboat for the Presque Isle Fire Department, making two airboats that can service the lake in the case of an ice emergency.

We applaud Nowak and his efforts and thank the lake association for its generous donation.

Stories such as that are ones we love to share at The News, because stories such as that are what make Northeast Michigan such a great place to live.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)