PORT ANGELES — The seven individuals honored with the 2012 Clallam County Community Service Award were not looking for recognition when they chose lives of service and good deeds.
Nevertheless, the civic-minded volunteers selected for this year’s award were celebrated Thursday night for making a difference in their communities.
A crowd of more than 100 filled the lower meeting room at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Port Angeles for the presentation of the 33rd Clallam County Community Service Awards.
“Tonight is going to be inspirational, motivational and just heart-warming,” said Port Angeles Mayor Cherie Kidd, who is a member of Soroptimist International of Port Angeles-Noon Club, which co-sponsors the event with the Peninsula Daily News.
“We have leaders with a sense of voice and vision this evening,” Kidd continued.
“When they see a need, they respond to their conscience to meet that need, and our honorees here tonight have found their voice, and they have inspired others to find theirs.”
John Brewer, PDN publisher and editor, said the award “recognizes the dedication, the sacrifice and the accomplishments of local people who can and do extraordinary things for their neighbors, for their community or for the environment.”
This year’s award recipients were:
■ Anna Barrigan, a retired community pharmacist and job counselor who has devoted energy and hard work to the Salvation Army, Project Homeless Connect, Shelter Providers, Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics and many other groups.
■ Charles “Moose” Parker, who has donated thousands of hours as a coach to young athletes in Clallam Bay and Neah Bay.
■ Cheri Fleck, whose vision, drive and leadership helped create Sarge’s Place in Forks, a center for returning and homeless veterans and their families.
■ John Halberg, enthusiastic co-founder and inventive leader of the North Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association for youths and adults.
■ Dan Huff, volunteer firefighter/emergency medical technician for Clallam County Fire District No. 2 for 35 years and captain of Station 21 (Gales Addition, just east of Port Angeles), with a long resume of other community activities.
■ Jim and Robbie Mantooth, selfless, gracious and unwavering protectors of local streams and forests through the North Olympic Land Trust and their own environmental projects.
A seven-member panel of judges selected the award recipients from 23 nominations from individuals, clubs, churches, businesses and other organizations.
The award was begun by the PDN in 1980 as the Citizen of the Year Award.
One winner was chosen every year until it became the Clallam County Community Service Award in 1991.
Since then, between three and seven award recipients have been selected annually.
“This evening is about community, and it’s about heroism, and it’s about where heroism and community come together,” Brewer said.
“This is a night about ordinary people and extraordinary community accomplishments.
“This is a night about seven people who are with us tonight whose unselfish efforts have made Clallam County a better place.”
Each award winner was introduced by one of the Community Service Award judges.
In his introduction of Barrigan, Loran Olsen of the Sons of Norway said she has been “a servant of others in three different communities and has been doing it for her whole life.”
Olsen said Barrigan has been involved “in every supportive endeavor you can expect her to be in” since she arrived in Port Angeles from Kelso in 1994.
First Federal CEO Levon Mathews read a letter from Cara Cowdrey, a Clallam Bay resident who nominated Parker, that provided a glimpse into Parker’s dedication to youths.
“He has influenced hundreds of kids over the years and provided parents with the opportunity to watch our children participate in sports,” Cowdrey wrote.
“He has instilled confidence, respect and responsibility in our children, has taught them to practice good sportsmanship, the importance of working together and always acknowledges their effort, regardless if they win or lose.”
In her introduction of Fleck, Ann Ashley of the Soroptimists said Sarge’s Place is “now being viewed as an inspiration and example for other communities in our state to follow.”
Kidd said she met Halberg at Lake Crescent when she was 8 years old.
“I thought he was Superman,” Kidd said.
“And you know what? I was right.”
Kidd added:
“John Halberg has made Clallam County a better place by providing the energy, the expertise and the drive to develop a community program that increases fitness, fights childhood obesity, encourages teamwork, builds lasting friendships and has the potential for college scholarships.”
Ray Gruver, a State Farm insurance broker and past Community Service Award recipient, said Huff has “spent many hours over the years helping the youth of our community.”
“Over his 35 years, Dan has been involved in almost every aspect of fire service,” Gruver added.
Matthew Randazzo, an author and political/wildlife/environmental activist, shared humorous anecdotes about the Mantooths — “The Teeth,” he called them — and articulated the couple’s commitment to “protect the ecologically and economically viable lands of the Olympic Peninsula” and their tireless promotion of the StreamFest celebration.
Each award recipient received a framed certificate for their deeds and a round of applause from the audience.
“Their achievements are both inspirational in spirit and deed, and heroic, again, in the most untrivialized sense of that word,” Brewer said.
“They have made meaningful differences in the lives of our neighbors and in our communities.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
