 June 03, 2009
The annual event is held to bring attention to the above and beyond the call of duty efforts of federal employees. The winner of the Federal Employee of the Year Community Service Award was given to 3^rd Class Petty Officer Christine E. Carolus who has served in the U.S. Coast Guard for over 3 years. Carolus makes her impact on the community by her numerous volunteer efforts. She has served as the Coast Guard Enlisted Associations president and along with others in the organization assisted in a radio fund raiser for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. She assisted with the Ketchikan Coast Guard ISC monthly soup kitchen service and organized a Thanksgiving Day meal for the Salvation Army. Carolus partnered with local schools helping with field day events and food, an annual BBQ and the Ward Lake Family Day. Other organizations have benefitted from Carolus' volunteerism including the Ketchikan 4^th of July Celebration, the Blueberry Festival and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Because the judges for the awards couldn't decide between two finalists, 1^st Class Petty Officer Lacretia C. Nolan was also given a Federal Employee of the Year Award for Community Service. Nolan also offered volunteer efforts to local Ketchikan Schools helping with the "Safe Schools/Healthy Students" program. She is ISC Ketchikan's Partnership in Education Coordinator and Vice President of the Ketchikan Charter School Academic Policy Committee. As the recently elected successor President of ISC Ketchikan, Nolan partners with community organizations in events that benefit both the community and the Coast Guard. She has also worked getting volunteers for the Ketchikan High School basketball tournament. Other volunteer efforts have benefitted the Girl Scouts, Charter School, Ketchikan Youth Soccer League, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. Boatswain's Mate First Class Angela Dell received the Federal Employee of the Year Professional Excellence Award. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Wesley Hout said Dell's devotion to duty and technical expertise has been manifestly evident in her position as ISC Port Service Petty Officer and Aids to Navigation Petty Officer. She also served as Command Drug and Alcohol Representative. Hout said she demonstrated outstanding initiative and exceptional leadership skills above her pay grade in providing superior support to all Coast Guard District 17 cutters and shore units. Of note were her extra efforts by making herself available at all hours in coordinating operational necessities and logistics requests by not only the Coast Guard but NOAA and the Canadian Navy. She was a major player to make the 2008 international engagement involving US and Canadian Navy and Coast Guard a success. NOAA, the M/V Fairweather and the Seattle Based U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy singled her out for outstanding support during their Ketchikan port calls. Healy said, "Her exceptional generosity, flexibility and ingenuity were crucial to the [Ketchikan Coast Guard] base's success and sustained Ketchikan's reputation as the ideal "one-stop" support hub for southeast Alaska." In addition Dell's service has saved the Ketchikan Coast Guard Base nearly $50,000 in spare parts supply and she spearheaded efforts to modify buoy exterior battery boxes to prevent salt water intrusion. John P. Whittaker of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office was nominated for the Professional Excellence Award. Port Director Jack Johnson said his achievements in 2008 substantially surpassed his performance goals and exemplified Customs and Border Protection's core values in his demonstrated vigilance, service and integrity. Officiating at the ceremony was Bill Harney, Site Director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center on Back Island. Harney said the Federal Executive Association, which sponsors the awards, is comprised of the senior representatives of each agency and aims to foster cooperation between federal agencies and local organizations. Harney said there are 243 Active Duty federal employees and 242 Civilian employees in Ketchikan, making them a top employer in the community. The Judges this year were Jacquie
Meck, Dick Coose and John Dickenson.
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