FORKS — Forks celebrated its community spirit during the Forks Chamber of Commerce’s 20th annual Best of Awards ceremony recently, handing out honors to residents who continually answered the call to service in 2020 during a virtual ceremony last week.
City attorney Rod Fleck was selected Citizen of the Year; David Hurn, a forester and Forks High School girls basketball coach, earned the Volunteer of the Year honor while Home Slice Take N Bake was the choice as Business of the Year, it was announced on Wednesday.
Fleck earned the Citizen of the Year honor for his efforts at helping keep the community informed and connected to county, state and federal outlets in 2020.
“Too many to list in [going] beyond the job with time and effort for the betterment of the community, including the city of Forks, the county and holding elected officials to the truth,” a letter nominating Fleck read.
“In the early days of COVID, Rod worked tirelessly through the Olympic Peninsula Betterment Association to give funds to distribute to members of our community and working Saturdays to distribute vouchers for food and services.”
Fleck was uncharacteristically quiet in accepting the award
“Actually, you have me speechless,” Fleck said. “Thank you.”
Chamber Executive Director Lissy Andros added some words of thanks to Fleck.
“Thank you for all you do, we appreciate you. You are the meeting man and the community really appreciates it,” Andros said.
Volunteer of Year
Hurn’s technological savvy helped a number of Forks groups and nonprofits continue to hold fundraising benefits online despite the inability to host in-person events.
“David saved our Soroptimist Festival of Trees this year. David was the expert extraordinaire for Forks at fundraising during a pandemic,” a nominating letter read.
Hurn also served as organizer of the annual Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction, another virtual event which brought in a healthy $113,000 in donations for educational scholarships for students in the Forks High School Class of 2020.
“Thank you, what an honor,” Hurn said. “You are reading off the list of everyone who has helped out in the community this year and it’s just incredible what everyone has done to step up. It’s why I love this community so much.”
Business of the Year
Home Slice Take N Bake was lauded in a nomination letter.
“This business continues to grow and expand and as they grow they continually give,” the letter said.
Community Service
The 2020 Inez Halverson Community Service Awards went to Eugene Fraker of Feeding 5,000, a nonprofit that serves free, homemade meals each Tuesday to the Forks community and to the CDK group, made up of Debbie Anderson Cindy Mesenbrink and Kris Ayres.
Started in 2017, the award was created to honor a person or entity that gives back to the Forks community in the same spirit that “Halvy,” a long-time resident and volunteer, did.
A nomination letter for the CDK group said the trio seemed to sew masks around the clock early in the pandemic.
“A coordinated effort by Debbie Anderson, Cindy Mesenbrink and Kris Ayers to sew masks, gowns, caps, baby items. They continue to fill the needs of Forks Community Hospital, the Caring Place and others,” the letter said.
“We are going to keep sewing masks and baby items and anything else people need, we can sew,” Ayers said.
Cornerstone Award
Forks Community Hospital and the Quillayute Valley School District earned Cornerstone Awards given to business or organization for their annual ability to go above and beyond.
Quillayute Valley School District Diana Reaume Superintendent thanked school staff and school board members for their service and said that working with Forks Community Hospital to set up vaccination clinics also had been rewarding.
Forks Community Hospital CEO Heidi Anderson accepted the award on behalf of hospital staff.
“I work for 315 employees and I cannot thank them enough for everything they have done during this last trying year of COVID and I know we are all ready for it to go away,” Anderson said.
The chamber also introduced its 2021 board members: Christi Baron, president; Diana Reaume, vice president; Bruce Paul, treasurer; Sharon Millett, secretary; Forks Mayor Tim Fletcher; Renee Rux, Quileute representative; and at-large representatives Bill Peach, Melene Bourm, Linda Keen and Judge Bruce Hanify.
And chamber volunteers Ronnie Aldrich, Richard Halverson, Randy Mesenbrink, Wendy Sumner and Marcia Yanish also were recognized for their service in 2020.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladaily news.com.
