News briefs: Bethel VFD names Firefighter of Year

Jay Kuiper of Lake Wylie was named the 2015 Firefighter of the Year by Bethel Volunteer Fire Department. COURTESY OF DIANE KUIPER

LAKE WYLIE YORK COUNTY YORK COUNTY YORK COUNTY YORKCLOVERROCK HILL ROCK HILL FORT MILL YORK COUNTY LAKE WYLIE LAKE WYLIE CLOVER

Bethel VFD honors firefighter of year, others

Bethel Volunteer Fire Department honored several members Dec. 11 at the annual Christmas party.

Rebecca Tongen was named Rookie of the Year and Lt. Keith Davis was named Officer of the Year.

Firefighter of the Year went to Jay Kuiper, who has the highest percentage of calls made over the last year in the department. Kuiper, a veteran firefighter since 1983, has volunteered with Bethel since July 2013.

During the last year, Kuiper has served as department secretary, a post held by only one other person, Lewis Quinn, who had held the office for 41 years. Kuiper was the primary person gathering information and presenting it for review for Bethel VFD’s ISO review in August.

He started learning about fire fighting through the Boy Scouts of America’s Explorer program in Michigan. He served five years as a firefighter with the U.S. Air Force. Since then he has worked for fire departments in Michigan and Florida before his employment with Universal Studios.

Kuiper and wife Diane moved to Lake Wylie in March 2013.

Library posts holiday closings

All York County libraries will be closed Dec. 24-27 for Christmas. The libraries will close at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and remain closed Jan. 1.

For information about library programs and services, visit yclibrary.org.

Give blood get entered for Panthers tickets

Community Blood Center of the Carolinas will hold a drawing for two Carolina Panthers Club Seat tickets and a parking pass for the Jan. 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

All donors who donate blood or platelets at one of CBCC’s blood centers or mobile blood drives through Dec. 30 will be entered into the ticket drawing. Call 704-972-4700 or visit cbcc.us to make an appointment at any location.

Libraries collecting food for fines

York County libraries will collect Food for Fines through Dec. 31 to encourage the return of overdue library materials while giving back to the community.

Library users may pay off fines for overdue materials with nonperishable food and personal hygiene items. For each donated item, $1 will be credited to outstanding fines, but will not cover the cost of lost or damaged materials.

All types of nonperishable food items, toiletries and disposable diapers will be collected. Items will be donated to York County area food banks in the community in which they are given to help replenish supplies depleted by the high demand of the holidays. Library patrons are encouraged to participate even if they have no outstanding library fines.

York County libraries are in Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Clover, Lake Wylie and York. Donations will also be accepted on the Bookmobile. For more information, visit yclibrary.org.

Pennies for Progress officers named

Pennies for Progress Council Committee appointed new officers Dec. 9 to oversee the project for 2017.

Jerry Helms was appointed as chairman, Carl Dicks as vice chairman and John Gettys as secretary.

“I ask that you be objective, open-minded and people-focused in deciding what projects to pursue,” said Christi Cox, Pennies for Progress Council Committee Chair. “This program is extremely important to our community. First and foremost, we need to listen to the citizens in the community.”

The program, which helps fund state maintained roadway improvements, is funded through the purchasing of goods in York County.

The community is encouraged to attend informational workshops hosted by the committee and staying informed through the York County Pennies for Progress website at Penniesforprogress.net.

More than 21,000 shoeboxes filled

Nearly 21,100 children will experience the joy of Christmas, thanks to the combined efforts of the Clover community and residents from surrounding counties. Residents packed empty shoeboxes with small items like toys, school supplies and hygiene items for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse that sends gifts to children living in difficult situations around the world.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 704-583-1763 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 12:59 PM with the headline "News briefs: Bethel VFD names Firefighter of Year."