RANGELEY – Don and Stephanie Palmer were recently honored with the 2003 Community Service Award and chosen as Rangeley’s Citizens of the Year by the Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
The Palmers moved to Rangeley in 1988 from Cape Cod. After serving as controller for the Gillette Corp. for 26 years, Don said “I never had any time to be involved, but now, I have completely reversed my noninvolvement.”
The couple recently retired for a second time, this time from Blueberry Hill Farm, their antique store in Rangeley.
The Palmers, according to Chamber of Commerce Board Member Karen Morton, “have spent hundreds of hours assisting and leading various community endeavors.”
Their efforts include the chamber, Rangeley Historical Society, the expansion of their church and the Rangeley Region Guides’ and Sportsmen’s Association.
Don Palmer is president of the Rangeley Historical Society. Stephanie is program director for the Rangeley Region Guides’ and Sportsmen’s Association’s Junior Guide program for children ages 9 to 13. This year’s Junior Guide program has 35 children enrolled during the six week program and is supported by the efforts of dozens of volunteers. The Historical Society and Guides’ and Sportsmen’s Association “have been our primary focus. We do it for love,” Stephanie said
The recipients of this year’s Community Service Award were chosen by a committee of the past four recipients: Rudy and Sheila Davis, Phillis Philbrick, and Bob Summers, along with Morton, a member of the Board of Directors for the Rangeley Chamber.
“People choose Rangeley,” said Don Palmer. “I came first to fish in a remote area and to experience the history, traditions, beauty and wildlife” and with that choice “a high percentage of people are involved in the community.”
Don and Stephanie said, “We probably get too involved, but we work together to get things accomplished.”
The next opportunity to meet the Palmers in action will be the Guides’ and Sportsmen’s Association’s Outdoor Sporting Heritage Day on Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the association’s clubhouse in Oquossoc.
According to Don, who founded this annual event, “The purpose of the event is to focus on Rangeley’s rich outdoor sporting heritage and help residents and visitors gain a fuller appreciation for the traditions and history of the region.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.