Palmer Pride Picnic celebrates 25 years

PALMER – Even in the pouring rain, Palmer residents are proud to celebrate their community.

The Palmer City Council and Sister City Program Palmer Saroma Kai hosted more than 100 people and various sponsors at the Palmer train depot for free food, music and the third annual noodle chute on Friday to recognize the town’s upstanding citizens.

Linda Combs, a member of both the council and the sister city program, took over the reins for the picnic this year but is well-versed in the history of the event. According to Combs, the tradition started after some local business people and volunteers returned from promoting Palmer as a finalist for the All-American City Contest in the lower 48, when they realized just how proud they were of Palmer.

“(The picnic is about) the fact that in this community, there’s always someone that will lend a hand,” Combs said. “They’ve got generous hearts and willing hands, I always say. It’s true. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s your neighbor or someone across town you didn’t know.”

Theresa Roy, owner of Cover Ups Design, also helped out at the event and spoke of the things people can do at the picnic besides eat and socialize.

“It’s also a place for local businesses and local non-profits to connect with the community, have tables with information, and just celebrate Palmer,” she said.

Volunteers representing Smokefree Palmer, Spring Creek Farm, Progressive Insurance, Cover Ups Design, Matanuska Telephone Association, Matanuska Electric Association, Mat-Su Community College and Healing Path Therapeutic Massage were all in attendance at the picnic. The 2014 Summer Youth Band of the Palmer Arts Council also performed at the beginning of the event, and local growers provided all of the free vegetables for the picnic.

Palmer’s solidarity was further illuminated by an awards ceremony in which Palmer Mayor DeLena Johnson announced winners of various categories. Alfred and Barbara Nault, Ray and Jenny Michaelson, Erick and Karen Cordero, Grant and Linda Olsen, and Earl and Arleen Stidham each received Palmer Residential Beautification Awards in the form of an engraved shovel.

“It’s nice to be able to recognize people for what they do well,” Johnson said.

Gordon Fletcher at Humdinger’s Pizza and Richard and Colleen Stryken also received engraved shovels for Business Beautification, and Gary Wolf of Wolf Architecture received the Improving Our Skyline Award. Jan Newman also was recognized as Volunteer of the Year for her Grow Palmer organization, which started up last year.

Douglas Cruthers was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for returning a dropped wallet with $1,500 inside to its Palmer owner earlier this year.

Robert “Bobcat” Stasco was awarded Citizen of the Year as a city employee who never stops working, a “real credit to the community” and “an inspiration to the crews in public works.” Stasco was not present at the picnic as he is currently recovering from a stroke.

Though many people were recognized, it is hard to acknowledge all of the inspiring people of Palmer in one day.

“As soon as I finish doing the awards I think, ‘oh there’s so-and-so, I should have given them an award,’” Johnson lamented.

Janet Kincaid, the head organizer of the picnic in years past, was not able to attend the event due to a medical procedure, but was just as effusive about her hometown as ever.

“I think Palmer is just an outstanding community as far as involvement and volunteerism,” she said. “Tourists come and they just can’t believe it, they come over from the visitor’s center and say, ‘wow, this is all free?’ They’re really taken with [Palmer].”

Kincaid was the first person to be named Citizen of the Year at the picnic, back when George Carte was the mayor of Palmer. As much as she has put into the event and the community over the years, Kincaid is reluctant but ready to pass the tradition to someone else.

“This is probably the first thing I ever gave up,” she said.

But as the “Palmer Pride Queen” steps aside, the celebration of Palmer will continue.

“A couple of us have said we’ll make sure the tradition lives on, keep it the way it’s always been,” Combs said. “It’s not political. You’re not asked for a donation. You’re not asked to buy anything — just get together and enjoy each other.”

Contact Caitlin Skvorc at 352-2266 or caitlin.skvorc@frontiersman.com.