Individuals and organizations were honored Saturday evening at the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet.

The Columbia River Bar Pilots received the Bob and Irene Baltimore Leaders Circle Award for its work guiding vessels across the Columbia Bar since 1846, as well as their significant financial donations throughout the region.

The Knappa School District was awarded the Board President’s Choice Award for its recent bond measure to make important improvements to Hilda Lahti Elementary School and the district high school, as well as critical upgrades to fire protection districtwide and bus safety.

Brian Alsbury, the Warrenton Fire Chief, received the Richard Ford Distinguished Service Award for his work serving the city of Warrenton and its citizens.

“Now, we wouldn’t usually choose someone whose job is to serve,” the chamber said of Alsbury. “We’d choose to honor that in other ways and reserve the Ford award for volunteers. In this case, though, we have someone who is in a job of service as part of a continuum of service.

“Someone who started out volunteering for nearly everything, including the work he was eventually hired to do. Someone with a heart of service who serves all of us every day for long hours at their job and still makes time to serve beyond that role.”

Marian Soderberg, a volunteer who has undertaken multiple crucial roles throughout her life in helping children, seniors and visitors, was awarded the George Award alongside dual recipient Jack Ficken, who serves on the board of Clatsop Community Action, the Clatsop Community College Foundation and the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce, and is a member of the Astoria Rotary Club and Clatsop Working Watershed Cooperative.