Ten to be honored with service awards

Published 1:30 am Saturday, May 2, 2026

PORT ANGELES — Nine Clallam County residents — six adults and three youths — will receive 2026 Community Service awards on Wednesday for their contributions to volunteerism.

The adult winners are Ed Bedford of Port Angeles, Frances Howell of Port Angeles, Roy Morris and Dr. Nancy Messmer of Sekiu, and Dave and Carla Sue of Port Angeles. The youth winners are Brayden Baritelle of Sequim, Emma Rhodes of Sequim and McHenry Miller of Port Angeles.

In addition, Jerrie Tiderman of Port Angeles will receive a lifetime achievement award.

The 46th annual Clallam County Community Service awards ceremony, a free event, will be at the Port Angeles Senior & Community Center, 328 E. Seventh St. The evening will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and the program will follow at 7 p.m.

The awards, presented by Peninsula Daily News, Soroptimist International of Port Angeles-Noon Club and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the community.

“The Clallam County Community Service Awards are designed to honor the longstanding efforts and dedication of those individuals who generously contribute their time, energy and resources to build and strengthen our community,” said Eran Kennedy, regional publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. “These awards are an outstanding opportunity for our community to celebrate and recognize those who make a positive impact in the lives of others.”

The recipients were chosen from many nominations by judges Cherie Kidd of Soroptimist International of Port Angeles-Noon Club, Rod Fleck, the attorney and planning director for the city of Forks, Sara Maloney, the director of philanthropy for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, and Suzy Ames, the president of Peninsula College.

Ed Bedford

Bedford, 79, has spent his entire life in Port Angeles. He graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1965 and continued his education a year later at Peninsula College.

“I am the youngest of four children and feel fortunate that my three older siblings sill live in the Port Angeles area,” Bedford said. “We were raised with humble beginnings — my father worked in the mill and my mother was a dedicated stay-at-home mom who held our family together.”

After graduation, he began work at The Toggery men’s store, which was located downtown.

“Over the past 60 years, I’ve remained dedicated to sales and marketing, never straying from the field I first entered as a young man,” he said.

In 1984, he founded Bedford’s Sodas, and through the business, he worked to support a wide range of programs and organizations throughout the county with a special focus on youth and veterans.

He donated $1,000 this past March to support Clallam County Fire District 1 and its efforts to purchase a jet boat as part of its swiftwater rescue program. The contribution was made in honor of his friend, the late John Brewer, the former publisher of the Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum.

Bedford also has served on a number of community boards, including the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Queen of Angels School, Olympic Peninsula YMCA, Olympic Medical Center Foundation, Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau, the Port Angeles Parks and Recreation department and the Port Angeles Business Association.

Following his involvement for more than 60 years, he was honored by North Olympic Baseball and Softball by having his name placed on an honorary board.

“He is a wonderful chamber volunteer and always ready to help when needed,” said Laken Folsom, the operations manager for the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce who nominated Bedford.

Frances Howell

Howell is the president of the Port Angeles Food Bank board and also is a member of the Olympic Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles, nominator Tim Crowley said.

She retired from a career in news reporting and later as executive director of DES Action USA and moved to the Olympic Peninsula in 2015, Crowley said.

“If one was to write a book about volunteerism, Frances ‘Fran’ Howell, in my opinion, would merit her own chapter,” Crowley said.

After she initially volunteered at the food bank, Howell applied for an open board position and has served the majority of her time as president.

“The food bank moved from its temporary home on Valley Street to its now-permanent home out by Walmart that utilizes a former beer distributorship to serve most of the North Olympic Peninsula,” Crowley said.

Howell helped transform the organization into a lifeline for thousands of families, expanding its reach, its programs and its ability to fight food insecurity. She also led the effort to ensure food bank staff receive livable wages.

In addition, Howell picks up surplus supplies at local businesses, known as “grocery rescue,” and she’s been serving in the food bank kitchen to help prepare a variety of nutritious products for clients, Crowley said.

With the Kiwanis Club, Howell has served as club president and participates in many of its community service projects, including Camp Beausite Northwest, the kids fishing derby, “go bags” for displaced kids and the annual community tuna/protein drive. Since its inception, she’s been co-chair of the club’s “Love Box” program, which provides monthly support to foster children and their families as part of Olympic Angels.

Howell also has contributed her time with Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, Crowley said.

Roy Morris and Dr. Nancy Messmer

Morris and Messmer have led or participated in a variety of activities that have focused on environmental and educational projects, nominators John and Karolyn Burdick said.

“As founding and active members of Coast Savers, many of their activities are associated with the Pacific Ocean and Strait of Juan de Fuca,” the Burdicks wrote. “They help organize the annual Earth Day beach cleanups, and Nancy also does monthly dead-bird surveys with other volunteers. Roy has spent years working to improve wild salmon populations in our local area, particularly Ozette Lake sockeye.”

Morris and Messmer also have volunteered at Hoko River State Park, the former home of the Cowan family, the Burdicks said. They have worked to establish a pioneer garden and orchard based on local information about the original garden.

“Every year, they have a ‘potato dig’ to harvest the crop grown there, including ‘Ozettes,’ which have a long history of being grown by Native Americans,” the Burdicks wrote.

Messmer is a member of the Clallam County Heritage Foundation, which works to develop displays that highlight aspects of the county’s history, including the protection of the Rayonier locomotive, which is displayed on Lauridsen Boulevard in Port Angeles.

They’ve also involved with the Lions Club in Clallam Bay. In 2022, Messmer was given a Lions Club regional award for her environmental activity, the Burdicks said.

Donna Keys of the Lions Club and Mike Doherty of Port Angeles also nominated Morris and Messmer.

“Individually and together, Roy and Nancy have a legacy of volunteering in Clallam County in numerous fields of interest, including education, environmental science, natural resource policy, rulemaking and stewardship,” Doherty said.

Morris and Messmer have made numerous presentations in area and tribal schools, Doherty added.

“Much of Roy’s leadership has been in areas related to marine resources,” Doherty wrote. “He has been a member of numerous local, state and federal advisory committees. His roles vary from citizen scientist to professional field work and meeting facilitation to policy and program development.”

Messmer is currently supporting the transfer of the U.S. Coast Guard Slip Point “Keeper’s Quarters” and related property into the Clallam County parks system, Doherty added.

Dave and Carla Sue

The Sues, both of whom have served as Olympic Kiwanis Club president, have volunteered for the organization for more than 20 years, nominator Don Zanon said.

Dave Sue is a retired Washington State Patrol trooper who served on the West End for several years, and Carla Sue is a retired educational professional and housing manager with the Peninsula Housing Authority.

“In additional to their career work, both David and Carla have always been very generous in giving volunteer time and resources to support a variety of community projects,” Zanon said.

Those include Camp Beausite Northwest, the Clallam County Emergency Management team, a bike rehab project at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center to refurbish bicycles for kids, in addition to the Port Angeles Food Bank, a car seat safety program, maintaining holiday lights in downtown Port Angeles, a “go bag” project and fundraising for youth academic scholarships.

“David Sue has truly lived a life of service,” Clallam County Undersheriff Lorraine Shore wrote in a letter of recommendation. “His compassion, leadership and commitment to improving the lives of others reflect the very best of community spirit. The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is sincerely grateful for the years of volunteer service he has donated to our organization and for his ongoing contributions to the well-being of our community.”

Raina Baker, the executive director of Camp Beausite Northwest, said both have been instrumental.

“David has been a cornerstone of Camp Beausite Northwest for over 20 years, serving faithfully on the board of directors and volunteer in every capacity imaginable,” Baker wrote. “His contributions have been foundational — he quite literally helped build this organization from the ground up.”

Carla Sue has contributed in countless ways over the years, Baker added.

“Notably, she played a key role in helping develop our fundraising efforts,” Baker wrote. “Carla committed her time and energy to attend a year-long fund development program alongside myself and another board member — an experience that helped lay the foundation for the sustainable fundraising practices we rely on today.”

Jerrie Tiderman

Tiderman, 99, is the epitome of a volunteer who helps many organizations throughout the community, said Anthony Sanders, president of the Kiwanis Club of Port Angeles.

Tiderman retired from an administrative assistant position at Peninsula College in 1993 and immediately became a member of the Noon Kiwanis Club, Sanders said.

“She supports the local efforts of the Salvation Army in their lunch program and food bank,” he said. “She supports the Port Angeles Food Bank in raising funds for their efforts. As the chair of our annual food drive campaign, Jerrie has been the head volunteer in raising between $4,000 and $7,000 a year for over 20 years.

“She has helped organize and deliver well over $150,000 in donations to the Port Angeles and Salvation Army food banks,” Sanders added.

Tiderman volunteered in the 1980s and 1990s to the choreographer for the Port Angeles Light Opera Company, Sanders said.

Since 1993, she has worked with the Kiwanis committee to plan and put on the annual community prayer breakfast each spring. She sold tickets and was the cashier as well as the organizer of the event, Sanders said.

She also helps to raise and distribute funds for the Children’s Hospital in Seattle and the S.I.G.N. Fracture Care International Organization, Sanders said.

“She shows up at our weekly Kiwanis Club meetings with a smile on her face and leads the group in singing,” he said. “Jerrie is such as inspiration to everyone and encourages us to all be better volunteers and step up to take care of others in our community.”

Three youths to be honored Wednesday

PORT ANGELES — A youth category for ages 12-21 will be awarded for the first time this year during the 46th annual Clallam County Community Service awards.

The winners are Brayden Baritelle of Sequim, Emma Rhodes of Sequim and McHenry Miller of Port Angeles.

Brayden Baritelle

Baritelle was 9 when he first began to volunteer at the Sequim Food Bank, said Stephen Rosales, a former executive director of the organization.

In the past six years, he’s only missed a handful of Saturdays, Rosales said.

“He started out as our youngest volunteer and has grown into the role of Lead Youth Volunteer,” Rosales said. “When he was just 13 years old, Brayden was named the youngest Volunteer of the Year in the history of the food bank.”

Baritelle serves as the teen lead for the Saturday program, training new teen volunteers, assigning tasks and keeping distributions running smoothly, said Virginia Reitsma, director of administration for the Sequim Food Bank.

“One example that stands out is a day when Brayden had commitments with his Boy Scout troop and it was also the Sequim Irrigation Festival Parade,” Reitsma said. “Even with a full schedule, he made time to walk with the Sequim Food Bank alongside other youth volunteers, dressed as a carrot, and spent the event handing out seeds to community members. It was a simple but meaningful moment that reflects his dedication, reliability and willingness to show up for his community.”

Baritelle is completing his Eagle Scout project as the food bank by designing and building a produce washing station, Reitsma said.

Baritelle also excels academically with a 3.9 grade-point average, Rosales said, and he was recently selected as the fourth male in the 132-year history of the Irrigation Festival to be selected as a member of the royalty court.

“I have been truly fortunate to watch Brayden grow from a young volunteer into a remarkable young man with strong leadership qualities and a genuine commitment to service,” Rosales said. “In my 15 years as serving as the Youth Coordinator at the Sequim Food Bank, I have worked with many outstanding young people, and Brayden stands out as one of the very best.”

Emma Rhodes

Rhodes contributed more than 310 hours of community service from April 2025 through the end of March 2026 and is working as a royalty ambassador for the Sequim Irrigation Festival.

A 16-year-old sophomore who has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average while managing severe dyslexia and a ADHD diagnosis, she’s is a certified lifeguard who recently utilized her training to support a classmate through a medical emergency while awaiting the arrival of EMTs, nominator Michelle Rhodes said.

She’s also volunteered more than 77 hours with the Youth Swim League program at the Sequim branch of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.

“In this role, she has assisted with teaching and instructing young swimmers, helping them build confidence in the water while developing foundational swimming skills,” said Cort Mao, the branch operations manager. “Emma has consistently demonstrated patience, responsibility and a genuine enthusiasm for helping younger athletes learn and improve.”

Rhodes served as the youngest director within the Irrigation Festival, said Robin Bookter, who wrote a letter of recommendation.

“As the director of the Button Design Program, she has had to be responsible for communication, organizing, selecting, ordering and selling buttons,” Bookter said. “In this position, she approached her responsibilities with professionalism, sound judgment and a strong sense of accountability.”

What sets her apart from her peers is her willingness to assist other committees with enthusiasm, Bookter said.

“She consistently goes beyond her assigned duties, offering her time, energy and insight wherever needed to support the success of the festival as a whole. Her collaborative spirit and positive attitude make her a valued contributor across teams, and she is widely respected her her reliability and willingness to pitch in.”

McHenry Miller

Miller’s volunteer efforts include the Port Angeles Marathon Association and the Olympic Medical Center Foundation, nominators said.

In the past two years, he has worked to support multiple events, said Victoria Jones, executive director of the marathon association.

“Throughout his time with our organization, McHenry has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to service, a dependable work ethic and a willingness to step in wherever needed,” Jones wrote. “Community events like our rely heavily on volunteers who are not only hardworking but also positive, flexible and team-oriented. McHenry has shown all of these qualities time and time again.”

Miller has helped with race-day responsibilities and helped behind the scenes, Jones said.

And Edna Petersen, who also nominated Miller, said he helps with all the “ugly” tasks.

“He picks up garbage, sweeps, breaks down boxes and stacks them neatly,” Petersen said. “I’ve seen him help set tables with all the proper plates, wine glasses and silverware, following the lead of the person in charge.

“My super surprise about McHenry was I assumed he was one of our college-age volunteers,” Petersen said. “Not so: McHenry is a sophomore in high school. Tall, clean cut, a big smile for everyone and respectful to all.”

Jeremy Gilchrist, the chief operating officer of the OMC Foundation, cited Miller’s “tireless dedication and selflessness.”

“McHenry has become a vital pillar of our local philanthropic efforts,” Gilchrist said. “Over the past few years, he has volunteered extensively across a variety of our most significant fundraising initiatives. His involvement is not merely superficial; McHenry is often the first to arrive and the last to leave, tackling any task with a positive attitude and a focus on the ultimate goal.”

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Editor Brian McLean can be reached by email at brian.mclean@peninsuladailynews.com.