MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Fire Department and Battell Hose Company held their joint annual awards dinner on Dec. 7, at the American Legion Post 27 in Middlebury. The dinner was attended by current, former, and life members of the Middlebury Fire Department, as well as by the members of the board of directors of the Battell Hose Company and guests, including Middlebury Selectboard member Nick Artim. 
Chief David Shaw and Firefighter Michael Bougor presented challenge coins to Probationary Firefighters Cale Wisher and Iman Behbehani to acknowledge membership in and service to the two organizations. 
Service awards were presented to the following members: Lieutenant LeRoy Graham for five years of service; Captain Jeffrey Carpenter for 15 years of service; Life Member Willard “Skip” Patterson for 40 years of service. 
Captain Donald Mason received the Captain Richard E. Hayes Training Award for the most hours of training in the department for the prior year (2018) at 113 hours. This award is given in memory of Captain Hayes, who passed away in 2001. 
Dispatcher Larry Volkert and Lieutenant LeRoy Graham each received the chief’s award in appreciation of their dedicated service and assistance beyond the expected. Chief Shaw recognized the department for responding to 228 calls and completing 3,172 hours of training in the last year.