Peggy Harris Receives Citizen Involvement Award

Peggy Harris receives award for promoting community engagement in her community.

CPO 15 Chair Peggy Harris is a rare gem in her community and an inspiration to everyone she meets.

The Committee for Community Involvement (CCI) selected Peggy Harris to receive the 2017 Harold M. Haynes Citizen Involvement Award. The award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership engaging members of their community in civic affairs.

Peggy Harris, a retired school teacher, has educated and inspired others to be informed, get involved and take positive action through her many years of energetic volunteering, leadership and cooperative support for CPO 15. Add to that her volunteer efforts with 4-H, the Washington County Fair, local schools and more.

As CPO 15 Chair since 2008, Peggy has been a tireless advocate for the communities of Blooming and Fern Hill, illuminating rural community issues, including connections with urban areas. In addition, she has been an effective advisor for her district's Commissioner and the Board on several issues.

 

 CPO 15 Library

Fellow CPO 15 leader Megan Stenburg comments on Peggy's service:

"Peggy has the courage, will, and energy to accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Using these qualities, gladly volunteering out of selfless interests, Peggy works to improve quality of life, community safety and health, public spirit and education in the Blooming and Fern Hill communities. I know the positive impact that will be felt for generations in Washington County thanks to her, especially by neighbors, churches, local schools, underprivileged children, immigrants, the larger community—even four-legged friends!

Peggy devotes countless hours to spending time with neighbors and having conversations with people from all walks of life, community organizations and government alike. She shows vision, patience and energy to plan and hold CPO 15 meetings that respond to our community's needs. Her planning and leadership of community meetings that are open to everyone have made our CPO a place where dialogue between residents, developers, decision makers and elected officials can happen.

We can all learn so much about the value of civic duty from the generous, open-minded example set by Peggy."

 
In photo, left to right: Kari Herinckx, Megan Stenburg, Peggy Harris

                             

       
Peggy Harris Volunteer Work

Accomplishments led or spurred by Peggy in recent years:

  • Host of National Night Out and Neighborhood Watch events

  • Champion of improving the Hwy 47 and Elm Street intersection

  • Provider of a wide variety of informative and educational topics at CPO 15 meetings including public safety, soil and watershed quality and conservation, compelling agricultural topics and local history

  • Community contributor on Chehalem Ridge Nature Park Master Plan

  • Co-founder of the annual earthquake preparedness community Quake Up events

  • Presenter of special-issue CPO forums including Barriers to Rural Broadband Internet Access and Homelessness in Rural Washington County

 

All recipients. About Peggy About the CCI