By NewsLine Staff
mail@floridanewsline.com
The Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra (Nocatee) honored first responders for service during the past year: to St. Johns County 2023 Firefighter of the Year Lieutenant Nyani Mattison from Station No. 18 in Nocatee and to St. John County Sheriff’s Office 2023 Deputy of the Year, Detective Robert Forrest. The third annual Rotary Heroes Awards event was also presented by the Ponte Vedra Rotary Foundation, the club’s charitable arm. The awards were given in recognition of excellence in Vocational Service which is one of Rotary’s foundational values.
When asked about her personal mission as a firefighter, Mattison said: “I want to respond to every call, every single day, the best I can. I want to be a mentor and example to the people around me.”
Mattison has obtained her Managing Fire Officer Certification from the National Fire Academy. She has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Flagler College.
When asked what inspired him to go into law enforcement, Forrest said: “It is an honorable profession and I chose this path to help others, especially those who cannot help themselves.”
Forrest has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in forensic studies from Florida Gulf Coast University.
The Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra, chartered in April of 2018, is one of 67 Rotary Clubs in North Florida that comprise Rotary District 6970. The club meets on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 a.m. at Treylor Park Restaurant in Nocatee Town Center.
Photo courtesy Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra
St. Johns County 2023 Firefighter of the Year Lt. Nyani Mattison from Station No. 18 in Nocatee and St. John County Sheriff’s Office 2023 Deputy of the Year, Detective Robert Forrest.
