Thursday, 09 October 2008 00:24
Ione Honors Three With Proclamations
By Jim Reece - The Ione City Council issued three proclamations for Ione citizens on Tuesday at the outset of the regular council meeting. Ione Volunteer Firefighter Bob Wright, Father Thomas Relihan and Ione Public Safety Officer Kevin Summers each were honored with city council proclamations. Wright was honored by the council as a member of the military reserves, on his way to serve in the War in Iraq. City Manager Kim Kerr said Wright is one of the city’s volunteer firefighters, is a reservist and will serve in Iraq for a year. The Council also issued a proclamation for Father Thomas Relihan, who was retiring from the Catholic priesthood after 61 years. Relihan’s career included 25 years serving as the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Ione, where he took over in 1983, upon moving to town.. The proclamation noted his assistance with the many facets of the community, all areas of joy and sadness for families, and his help with the homeless and others in need. Councilman Lee Ard commented that he hopes that he will be as spry as Father Relihan when he came to be his age. The Council issued a third proclamation in honor of Ione Volunteer fireman and EMT, Kevin Summers. The proclamation noted that Summers was selected as the 2008 Public Safety Performer of the Year by the Amador County Peace Officers Association. Summers has lived in Ione since childhood, where he has worked for the Ione Police Department and as a crossing guard for the junior high and elementary schools. Summers will be honored at a Citizen of the year and Officer of the year ceremony at the American Legion Hall on October 25th.