The first person Doug "Teeter" Robinson thanked was his wife.

"I've been doing this since 1961. Joan's put up with a lot, and I love her very much," Robinson said as he received the Montgomery County Citizen of the Year Award from the Blacksburg Noon Rotary Club last week.

What Joan Robinson put up with was four decades of disrupted meals and middle-of-the-night departures when her husband was called to duty. Teeter Robinson, 68, is a veteran volunteer Blacksburg firefighter and rescue squad member.

"He enjoyed it, and I accepted that," she said.

Teeter Robinson's day job was at the post office, but he also listened for the steam whistle alarms that were used 45 years ago to alert firefighters. He'd follow firefighters to their calls, and finally the fire chief suggested he just join the department. He's been a volunteer ever since.

Robinson goes by the station almost every day at 6 a.m. to check things out. He still runs about 40 rescue calls a month. Since retiring from the post office in 1995, he has also been a special education bus driver for Montgomery County public schools.

Upon receiving his award, Robinson commended Blacksburg Town Manager Gary Huff for his support and thanked fire and rescue leaders and volunteers.

"Volunteers are doing it because they want to and they care about what they're doing," he said. "You just have to love what you're doing. I really love helping people, and I'll help anybody for anything at anytime."

Robinson's son, J.D. Robinson, is a Blacksburg police officer and former Montgomery County sheriff's deputy. He's also a volunteer firefighter for the town and was one of the rescue squad's first junior members. J.D. Robinson said his father's influence led him to protect and serve.

"Watching him risk his life for the community gave me the feeling that that's what you're supposed to do," J.D. Robinson said.

Teeter Robinson was chosen from a dozen award candidates by a Rotary committee. Criteria for the award included the club's four-way test: "Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?"

Neal Turner, Montgomery County emergency services coordinator, nominated Robinson. Turner met him 28 years ago when Turner was a rookie Christiansburg Rescue Squad member.

"He has always been a friend and told you the straight truth. He's someone you can always count on," Turner said. "Everything that he does is from a deep-rooted desire in his heart to help people."

The Rotary club will also add a brick bearing Robinson's name to a new walkway at Wong Park in Blacksburg.

Applause goes to ...

• Employees of Warm Hearth Village in Blacksburg, who raised more than $650 for the American Red CrossSoutheast Asia and tsunami relief effort through spaghetti and hot dog luncheons.

• Jack Mundy of Coldwell Banker Townside Realtors, who donated the January rent for the Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley. Area Realtors have been sponsoring the organization's monthly rent since the start of the 2004-05 fiscal year.

• Students, teachers and parents of Blacksburg New School, who celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day by raising more than $700 for disaster relief and assembling health kits for relief organizations.

Volunteer opportunities and upcoming events

• New River Community Action is requesting nominations for its annual Philip M. Sadler Memorial Community Service Award. Sadler was a Pulaski attorney who supported New River Community Action, Pulaski Emergency Needs Task Force, New River Valley Habitat for Humanity, Pulaski Free Clinic and other community organizations.

An award will be given to a New River Valley individual for outstanding service to a local community. To nominate a candidate, send a letter summarizing the person's accomplishments to: Community Service Award Committee, in care of Christy Lovern, Office Services Manager, New River Community Action, 644 W. Main St., Radford, VA 24141 or fax it to 633-2585. Letters should include names, addresses and telephone numbers of both the nominator and the nominee. For more information, call Lovern at 633-5133, ext. 10. Entries must be received by 5 p.m. March 18.

• Volunteer Emergency Families for Children is seeking families to provide short-term shelter care to abused, neglected, runaway and at-risk infants, children and youth from Montgomery, Giles and Pulaski counties and Radford. Length of stay in families' homes is overnight to 21 days. To help a child in crisis, call 953-1157. Registration is under way for training that begins in March.

• Project Linus will hold a Blanket Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 19 at Grove Methodist Church on Tyler Avenue in Radford. Make blankets for seriously ill or traumatized children. Material, batting, yarn, sewing machines and refreshments will be provided. For more information, call Penny Sweet at 639-6161 or Lynn Wright at 639-3456.

Do you know an individual or group who deserves a round of applause for volunteering service to the community? Contact Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan at 381-1671 or e-mail dawn.vaughan@roanoke.com.