The Oak Harbor Council of the Navy League held its Eighth Annual Awards Banquet May 29 to recognize its members who exemplified the Navy League policies over the past year.

Among the honored guests were Mayor Jim Slowik and his wife Candy; Rear Adm. James A. Symonds, Commander Navy Region Northwest, and Anne Symonds; Capt. Gerral David and Anne, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Commanding Officer; Capt. Bradley, Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, and Marian Russell; Col. Flannery, USMC, CO MATSG, and Capt. Butch Bailey, USN (Ret) Senior Naval Science Instructor, Burlington Edison High School NJROTC and his NJROTC youth award recipients.

After the Parade of Colors by the Naval Station Whidbey Island Color Guard, and the invocation by Navy League Chaplain David Lura, a video of the year in review was shown. Following a prime rib and salmon dinner the following awards were presented.

As their proud families watched, Oak Harbor High School awardees were: Theodore Roosevelt Navy League Youth Medal, Cadet Janika Bainko; and Outstanding Naval Science Cadet, Senior Cadet Jake Ford.

NJROTC of Burlington-Edison Youth Awards included Theodore Roosevelt Navy League Youth Medal to Cadet Eddie Aviles, and Outstanding Naval Science Cadet to Senior Cadet Andrew Montgomery.

The Navy League then honored their own members for the past year’s achievements. The Navy League Scroll of Honor, the highest award on the council level, was given to Betty Witt; Bob Papadakis was chosen as the Notable Member of the Year for his significant and lasting contribution to Navy league; The Community Service Award, given for notable contributions to the Navy League mission, was presented to Sherry Yates; The Navy Leaguer of the Year, presented annually to that person most deserving of recognition, was given to Cindy Norman; Lee Youngblood received the President’s Award for performance above and beyond the ordinary in support of the president; and Debbie Cohenour was inducted into the John Vandezicht Memorial Hall of Honor.