Posted: 6/16/04
The North Branch Area School District Transportation Department held its annual safety awards ceremony May 25.
This year, 41 awards were presented honoring a total of 220 years of bus driving experience.
Last year alone, North Branch buses logged 600,000 miles, according to district Transportation Director Bill Burton.
To put that large number in perspective, that would be like driving coast to coast once every day for one school year.
The department services included 1,700 daily bus stops, and the vehicles used more than 4,000 lights and light bulbs, 4,500 gallons of gas and 86,054 gallons of diesel fuel.
In the upper rung of years of employment, the district honored Jack Scudder, who has 16 years, Doreen Skow with 17 years and Eileen Varhalla with 25 years.
Honored for one year of service were: Lisa Butterfield , Robert Kind, Steve Peterson, Kim Schultz and Rose Tema.
Those with two years service were: Carrie Anderson, Donna Gambrel, David Anderson, Linda Eastwood, Julia Stone, Julie Weller, Kate Forster, Michael Peterson, Tim Siedlecki and Shavone Glaser.
Shari Lehman and Theresa Smith were thanked for three years employment.
Four-year employees were Joyce Bagaus, Sherry Croes, Larry Clarin, Jody Schmaltz and Lisa Wenell, Jomanda Booth, Alexis Fain, Robert Ford and Noelle Strohecker have worked for the district for five years and Deborah Thomsen has been there six years.
At the seven-year mark were Lynn Debel, Peter Bloomdahl, Karole Frink and Leland Bellinger.
Kay Bowers has had eight years employment and Bruce Christenson, Cindy Edberg and Jonelle Nelson have worked for the district for nine years.
Stan Mitthun has given 10 years service and Robert Tauer marked his 12th year with the district.
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