Community Service Awards for Firefighter of the Year, Emergency Medical Technician of the Year, Enlisted Guardsman of the Year and Law Officer of the Year were presented during the Memorial Day Program in New Glarus.

Stuessy-Kuenzi New Glarus Post #141 Commander Steve Hodgson presented the honors.

Firefighter of the Year Jon Durst

Jon Durst is a member of the Stuessy-Kuenzi New Glarus Post #141 and the Madison Fire Department. Jon was a volunteer with the New Glarus Fire Department from 1992 through 2008. In 2008, he joined the Madison, Wisconsin, fire department as a fireman. After completion of his training as a Paramedic, Jon became a Firefighter/Paramedic. His duties include fire suppression, fire inspection, Paramedic response, assist with training, maintenance of equipment and assist with station maintenance. Although Jon's primary role is a Paramedic with an ambulance, he can be called upon to fight fires. Jon was educated in the New Glarus public school system and graduated from high school in 1990. Jon has earned the following State of Wisconsin Certifications: Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Driver Operator, Emergency Service Instructor I, Wisconsin EMS Instructor II; and has earned the following Paramedic ratings: Basic Cardiac Life Support Instructor and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor. Jon volunteers his services to support the Fire Safety Week at the New Glarus Public Schools, discussing fire safety in the home to elementary school students.

Jon has been selected at the Green County and Third American Legion District Firefighter of the Year. Jon was also recently named the Wisconsin American Legion Firefighter of the year and will be presented with his award at the Department Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 14th. He will be in competition for the National Firefighter of the Year, which will be presented at the National American Legion Convention in August.

Jon is married to a fellow American Legion member, Melissa, who is a Speech Pathologist with the Monroe Public School System in an elementary school. They have two sons, Tyler and Owen, who are attending New Glarus public schools.

Emergency Medical Technician of the Year Meg Butenhoff

Meg Butenhoff has been a member of the New Glarus Area Emergency Medical Services since December of 2011. In March of 2016, she was certified as an Advanced EMT. Recently Meg was designated as an Ambulance Supply Officer, and her duties include ensuring that both NGAEMS ambulances carry the basic load of supplies and that all of the equipment is fully charged and ready to go for the next call.

The Chief of the NGAEMS, Kristie Mueller, has honored Meg for the time commitment she makes as a volunteer – an average of 4,000 hours a year at the station. In the past year she has put in over 2,700 hours even though she works a full-time job and is in a Paramedic training course.

In the course of her work, she has had training in dealing with patients suffering from Dementia and Autism and has skills in dealing with such patients. Meg is also able to recognize and assist when encountering a suicidal patient, which is a valuable skill for public safety personnel in hectic situations.

Enlisted Guardsman/Reservist of the Year Sgt. Jeffrey D. Hataway

Sgt. Hataway, a member of the New Glarus Stuessy-Kuenzi American Legion Post #141, is a member of the 2-363 Sustainment Brigade of the United States Army Reserves in Mesa, AZ. Sgt. Hataway entered the Army in 2008 and completed his basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, and his advanced individual training at Goodfellow Air Force Base at San Angelo, TX. He was a Signal Intelligence Analyst and his assignments included the 715th Military Intelligence Battalion in the 500 Military Intelligence Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. Sgt. Hataway was transferred to the 2nd Armored Cavalry at Groefenwahr, Germany, in 2014, and his duties in Germany and Poland lasted for two years.

Sgt. Hataway was awarded the Joint Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (two awards), Good Conduct Medal (two awards), Global War on Terrorism Ribbon and the Army NCO Development Ribbon.

Sgt. Hataway is married to his wife, Brittany, and they are expecting their first child in August, and he is employed by a defense contractor in Mesa, AZ.

Sgt. Hataway has also been selected as the Guardsman/Reservist of the Year for Green County.

Law Officer of the Year James Donnell

James (Jim) Donnell, a resident of New Glarus, is a Canine Handler for the City of Madison, Wisconsin, Police Department. Jim has been a patrol officer for the Maple Bluff Police Department, the Town of Madison Police Department and the City of Madison Police Department. In 2005, he became the Canine Handler.

In 2012, Jim was selected as the Canine Handler of the Year by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Canine Handler Association.

James Donnell

Jim's commitment to law enforcement has driven him to pursue this career for the last 26 years. His duties as Canine Handler are clearly a match of his personality with his canine charge. Jim has had two dogs in his time as a handler. Johnny, who was his first dog, and Krahnie is his current dog.

On his first day as a Canine Handler he was called to a missing person scene, looking for an elderly Dementia patient. The person had been missing and the subject of a two-hour search by other officers. Within 15 minutes, Johnny found the person.

Jim is active in his children's schooling and in community youth sports. Jim is also the Green County Law Officer of the Year.