Palmer preens to show its pride

July 29, 2007

By Hannah Guillaume/Frontiersman

PALMER - Residents were rewarded Friday for giving to the community at the Palmer Pride Picnic.

Mari Jo Parks, the 2007 Citizen of the Year, was given a key to the city for her 22 years of teaching more than 10,000 kids at Wasilla and Burchell high schools.

&#8220I'm going to use it to open the town to more people,” she said. &#8220I'm really honored.”

Parks also worked with disabled and at-risk students, giving career guidance through the Finding Your Future program. She said she helped to drive the Special Santa Program that brought 1,770 kids in the Mat-Su Valley gifts during the holidays.

Parks did the work, &#8220because it's fun. … I'm blown away. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Mayor John Combs said he chooses award winners for what they bring to enhance and service the community. This year's event was special, because it was the first picnic he could remember a governor attending.

&#8220It's wonderful,” he said.

Gov. Sarah Palin announced Parks as Citizen of the Year and thanked Palmer for its contributions to the state through providing public servants, including appointed state Attorney General Talis Colberg.

&#8220It seems the folks of the Valley are able to know what public service is about,” she said. &#8220I'm very proud to be from the Valley.”

Free hot dogs and lemonade, cocoa, tea and Mat-Su grown vegetables were served.

Peter Portney, a youth minister for Palmer Nazarene Church, dressed up in a tomato costume to draw picnicers to its table.

&#8220We're promoting vacation bible school at our church,” he said. &#8220We don't promote religion as much as we promote Christianity.”

Janet Kincaid, an event organizer, said everything used to put the picnic on was donated.

&#8220It's to say we're very proud Palmerites,” she said. &#8220One of the things we're proud of is the new street lights.”

The new, old fashioned style street lights lining Palmer's sidewalks cost $380,000, said city manager Tom Healy.

Contact Hannah Guillaume at 352-2284 or hannahguillaume@yahoo.com.

EAKOUT:

Palmer recognition awards for 2007

Five categories of awards were presented to residents, who took home plaques, keys to the city and buttons for their contributions to Palmer. The award winners are:

€ Palmer Citizen of the Year 2007 - Mari Jo Parks.

€ Beautiful Homes - The Boshears family of 1145 Josselin Ln.; Johnson family of 543 S. Gulkana St.; Kloster family of 367 N. Valley Way; Lockhart family of 217 N. Independence St. and Olson family of 319 E. Fireweed Ave.

€ Outstanding New Business Building - Alaska USA Federal Credit Union at 901 W. Evergreen St.

€ Outstanding New Business Building - DDS Family Dentistry at 223 S. Alaska St.

€ Outstanding New Business - North Star Animal Hospital.

€ Business Person of the Year - Richard Stryken.