Lacey recognizes Jerry Wilkins for years of service, River Ridge youth football team for championship

At the city council meeting on Thursday, December 7, Lacey recognized Jerry Wilkins for over ten years of service on the city’s Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service Commission is responsible for adopting rules and regulations regarding personnel matters and competitive examinations for classified employees of the Lacey Police Department. It helps the police department develop new regulations and procedures.

Mayor Andy Ryder presented the Distinguished Public Service Award to Wilkins for his time on commission from 2010 to 2023. "This is a continuation of a lifelong service to the community," he said.

According to Ryder, Wilkins is a retired colonel who has been active in the community, mainly supporting veterans.

Wilkins expressed his appreciation for working with the staff and police department over the years. "You have some of the best police officers I've ever worked with,” said the honoree.

River Ridge champions

Lacey City councilmembers pose with the River Ridge Hawks team, who competed and won in the recent Thurston County Youth Football League.

The city council also recognized River Ridge High School’s eighth-grade Hawks football team for their championship season.

The Hawks competed in the Thurston County Youth Football League this past fall. They faced teams throughout South Puget Sound, including Olympia, Shelton, and Eatonville.

"The boys have worked hard this last year," Coach Tim Claridge said. "They represented the Lacey area very well in the South Puget Sound area."

Claridge recounted that the Hawks finished with a winning record in a hard-fought season. They defeated Olympia in double overtime to claim the league championship. It was the fourth title for the Hawks in the past six seasons.

"They are a talented group of kids, but more importantly, they are actually good young men and developing into really good members of the society," Claridge said of the student-athletes.