Site Logo

Clallam’s top citizens to be lauded Thursday

Published 4:06 am Tuesday, April 22, 2008

By Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — Friends and business associates are invited to attend as seven persons are honored with the 2008 Clallam County Community Service Awards on Thursday.

The award honors the “dedication, sacrifice and accomplishments” of community leaders and volunteers “who have made a difference in Clallam County, who have made our communities a better place by doing extraordinary things for their neighbors, their community or the environment.”

The seven will receive framed award certificates at a reception that begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the downstairs meeting room at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 Lopez Ave., Port Angeles.

The reception is open to the public and will include coffee and desserts.

Admission is free.

The award recipients are:

  • Harold Baar, 83, of Joyce who recently retired after 53 years of volunteer work with Clallam County Fire District 4, which he helped found.

    He also served decades on the boards of many Joyce-area organizations.

  • Jacqueline Russell of Port Angeles. After the heartbreaking death of her 17-year-old son, she was instrumental in the formation of the North Olympic Peninsula chapter of The Compassionate Friends, which offers support in the Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks areas to grieving parents who have lost a child.

    She remains very active with the group, helping bereaved families in many ways.

  • Colleen Robinson of Sequim, whose volunteer efforts stretch from providing winter boots for children of the Hoh tribe to raising awareness about the dangers of meth to preparing a sit-down dinner for 300 for a fundraiser.

  • Virginia and Welden Clark of Sequim, dedicated volunteers who have aided Clallam County agencies at multiple levels with their talents and expertise.

    The husband and wife are leaders in the protection of the county’s water supplies.

  • Doc Reiss, a leader of the annual Arts in Action summer street festival in Port Angeles, creator of an international sand sculpture contest that is part of the festival and a driving force behind the creation of the Port Angeles skateboard park and maintenance of the downtown murals.

  • Barbara Ann Townsend, “grandmother” to more than 100 children she has helped over the years as a youth group leader at Queen of Angels Catholic Church; also, through the church’s organizations, she has provided housing, clothing, food, medicine and other assistance to the Port Angeles community

    This is the 28th year of the Clallam County Community Service Award, begun by the Peninsula Daily News and now co-sponsored with Soroptimist International of Port Angeles-Noon Club.

    A judging committee that included past Community Service Award recipients selected the seven from almost 50 nominations made by individuals, clubs, churches, businesses and other organizations.

    “These are truly local heroes, working to make community life stronger, tighter, happier, richer — busy people who unselfishly give their time and energy to help others, who always seem to be able to make time to offer a hand or a shoulder,” said John Brewer, PDN editor and publisher.

    • You Might Like