Thanks for 100 Years of Service!

Typically, when you think of 100 years of service, you think of an institution. But, in this case, I’m talking about three Hillsboro Firefighters who are retiring at about the same time. Perhaps, you could call them an institution, come to think of it. Together, they represent 100 years in the fire service. Wednesday evening, August 18th, colleagues gathered to honor Lieutenants Larry Yakymi and Brad Kastner along with Engineer Brad Lepley for their combined century of serving the citizens of Hillsboro.

From Yak Kastner Lepley retirement

The soiree occurred at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse and featured endless stories from coworkers, chiefs, and union brothers and sisters. They bestowed gifts and plaques, including a gift that fellow firefighters sealed inside of a granite boulder for Larry Yakymi. The former Urban Search & Rescue/Technical Rescue team member took a few swings with a sledge hammer, but was unable to crack the granite. We’ll check back some day in the future to see if he ever got his gift out.

Besides the colleagues, families and staff who gathered to wish the trio a happy retirement, 21 previous retirees showed up to share in the festivities and stay connected with their former organization. All 24 retirees posed for a photo and we estimate the talent in this photo below represents more than 700 years of firefighting experience! Happy retirement Brad, Brad and Larry!

From Yak Kastner Lepley retirement