Photos: Top Cops, Firefighters Honored by Elks

There were bagpipes, boy scouts and lots of emergency workers on hand during the annual Mission Viejo/Saddlback Valley Elks appreciation dinner. In all, over 160 guests were fed as police and firefighters traded playful jabs.

As always, the dinner was funded by the lodge's Wednesday night bingo games.

Here's club publicist Hal Mattson's review of the evening:

Honored guests included Orange County Sheriff Commander Don Barnes and Captain Linda Solorza; Highway Patrol Lt. Troy Lukkes; Orange County Fire Authority (“OCFA”) Chief Keith Richter, Division Chiefs Craig Kinoshita and Rick Robinson, Battalion 4 Chief Art Nevarez, Battalion 6 Chief Karl Schmutz and Battalion 7 Chief Jeff Genoway; Laguna Beach Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse; Chief of Police Services for Aliso Viejo (Lt. Bob Osborne), Dana Point (Lt. Mark Levy), Laguna Hills (Lt. Tom Behrens), Laguna Niguel (Lt. Andy Ferguson), Laguna Woods and Unincorporated South Orange County (Lt. Jim Rudy), Lake Forest (Lt. Pat Higa), Mission Viejo (Lt. Mike Gavin), Rancho Santa Margarita (Lt. Brian Schmutz), San Clemente (Lt. Paul D’Auria) and San Juan Capistrano (Lt. John Meyer). Also in attendance was Mission Viejo City Council member Rhonda Reardon.

The honored guests were welcomed by Lodge Trustee and Past Exalted Ruler (“PER”), Harvey Boelts. Following the opening prayer from Lodge Chaplin Steve Rusie, the OCFA Honor Guard presented the colors and led the pledge of allegiance to the America Flag. The OCFA Pipes and Drums group then marched with great style into the dining room filling it with music from the bag pipes and drums – quite a stirring moment.

After the Pipes and Drums performance, Dennis Keffer, PER, was Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s program. The Elks volunteers preparing the dinner were led by Boelts. To serve the dinner, the Elks obtained the services of members of Boy Scout Troop 603 and Girl Scout Troop 261.

Here's who won awards:

OCFA Battalion 4: Engineer Jay Sellars OCFA Battalion 6: Reserve Firefighter Mike Fleck; Captain Tim Perkins OCFA Battalion 7: Captain Brad Haldeman Laguna Beach Fire Department: Reserve Firefighter Brent Buccola; Captain Joe Maxon

California Highway Patrol: Officer Ken Rethwisch

South Orange County Police Services: Aliso Viejo: Deputy Gil Torrez Dana Point: Deputy Francis (Frank) Smith Laguna Hills: Deputy Thomas Graham Laguna Niguel: Deputy Perry Frese Laguna Woods: Deputy Barbara Murphy Lake Forest: Deputy Sean Dumas Mission Viejo: Deputy Jarrett Kurimay Rancho Santa Margarita: Deputy Robert Thompson San Clemente: Deputy Paul Ketchan San Juan Capistrano: Deputy William Simandl Unincorporated South Orange County: Deputy Manny Ramirez.