Award Delivered Just in Time to Ballard Turnbull
Story reprinted courtesy of The Timberjay 8-12-2006
When Congressman Jim Oberstar nominated Ballard Turnbull for a congressional Community Service Award on Monday, everyone involved knew that they needed to act quickly. Turnbull was in the last stages of his battle with liver cancer - a battle that came to a peaceful end on Tuesday evening, at Turnbull's home in Tower.
But just hours before, Turnbull had received his congressional award, which was hand-delivered by Tower City Clerk-Treasurer Tim Kotzian. It came barely 24 hours after Oberstar's office first forwarded the nomination to the Congressional Fire Service Institute, a non-partisan organization that educates members of Congress on fire-related issues.
Turnbull had served as Director of the Tower Ambulance Service and as a member and former chief of the city's fire department for nearly 30 years. He had also served as a training officer to both organizations.
In nominating him for the congressional award, Oberstar cited Turnbull's many years of service. "Your work with the fire/rescue and EMS personnel throughout northeastern Minnesota is legendary. The parade recently held in your honor demonstrated how much your friends and neighbors appreciate your many contributions," Oberstar wrote in an Aug. 8 letter announcing the award. "They're very nice awards," said Peter Makowski, an Oberstar staff member and an active emergency responder himself. According to Makowski, the awards are usually reserved for individuals with long tenures of exceptional public service. "Our office reserves them for special people. In Ballard's case there was no question," said Makowski.