By Melissa Wagoner
This time of year, Stacy Palmer – Executive Director of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce – can often be found, balloons in hand, making her way around town, congratulating the winners of the annual First Citizen Awards. But this year when Stacy made her customary call to Mayor Kyle Palmer asking who would be the lucky recipients, she received an unusual answer.
“I asked him, ‘Do we have winners?’ and he said, “People in the group are sick so we have to reschedule,’” she laughed remembering the ruse the mayor set up to keep her from discovering that both she and husband, Kevin Palmer, were in fact on this year’s list.
Luckily, the evasion worked and the surprise came off.
“It was my first day back from vacation,” Stacy recalled. “And my staff person – who happens to be my mom – said, ‘Hey, I’m going to come in early.’ Then about ten people showed up in my office with balloons.”
Although initially startled by all of the attention, Stacy was also grateful for the distraction.
“It was a month out from when my dad had passed and I was in a funky mood,” she explained. “And all those people showed up and it’s like – that’s what’s so great about this place.”
Lifelong residents, Stacy and Kevin have extensive family ties in Silverton and have spent much of their careers and free time volunteering throughout the community.
“Our jobs kind of put us in it,” Kevin, principal of Butte Creek Elementary, pointed out.
“Through my work I’m on a ton of groups,” Stacy said. “Transportation Advisory, Urban Renewal… Over the years it seems like, if there’s a committee, I’m on it.”
Volunteering as a family is something the Palmers come to naturally and it is also the way they have chosen to raise their children – Jake, 27 and Kelsey 29.
“We grew up here, so we just do our part,” Kevin explained. “My mom was the first First Citizen. And then my brother (the mayor) was the First Citizen three years ago.”
And although the couple has separate interests – Kevin tends to volunteer with organizations having to do with kids and sports such as the Y and Stacy’s interests tend to be more civic – they can often be seen volunteering as a team, putting up Christmas lights at Town Square Park in winter and flower baskets throughout town in spring.
“I work on his stuff and he helps out with my stuff,” Stacy said. “We have little touches all over town. It’s kind of fun to look back and see all the stuff we’ve done.”
Although grateful for the recognition, they agree that it is certainly not why they volunteer. “It’s just what you do for your community,” Stacy said. “Everybody pitches in.”
