When Marlene Parsons attended the Keizer Chamber of Commerce’s First Citizens Awards Banquet last year, she didn’t expect to be told she earned the award. She had not originally planned to attend the event at all, until her family stepped in.

Parsons believes she has volunteered more in her life than she has worked – which is okay with her. In 30 years of community service, she has served on the Keizer City Council, helped to plan KeizerFEST and served on city committees.

Because she made clear to those around her at the time that she did not want to attend the awards banquet, saying she does not enjoy attending large functions, Parsons was asked by her granddaughter to be taken to the banquet under the pretense of needing to attend for a school assignment. 

“They figured if she asked me, I’d go, because I’d do anything for my grandchildren, right?” Parsons said. “It was a perfect ruse.” 

Leading up to this year’s event, Keizertimes spoke with four previous First Citizens on what the award means to them. 

“It was like the culmination of everything that I’ve done, right? It’s like the end, but it’s not the end.” Parsons said. “I’m still going to continue what I’ve always done.”

Like Parsons, others said the award was appreciated, but not the reason they volunteer. 

“Every volunteer I’ve ever known had passion in their heart to accomplish something that would benefit…the community in which they live,” said Lore Christopher, who was First Citizen in 2014.

Christopher currently serves on the Keizer City Council, and previously served as mayor. During her time leading the city Christopher helped with efforts to develop Keizer Station, the Keizer Civic Center and Keizer Rapids Park. 

After serving in a high-profile role, Christopher said she would have preferred for lesser-known community volunteers to have been recognized instead of her. In a specific example, she named Marsha Stallings as a “tireless worker” who deserves recognition. 

Stallings earned the award eight years after Christopher, in 2022. In her 30 years of volunteer work Stallings worked on h the community’s  holiday festivities, including hanging street decorations, preparing for Keizer’s tree lighting ceremony and organizing the chamber’s annual gift basket program. 

As a volunteer for the chamber, Stallings also helps with the annual First Citizen banquet.

Stallings described earning the award as overwhelming, and a highlight of her life, next to being a wife, mother and grandmother. She said it encouraged her to continue volunteering, as she wants “to really earn it.” 

“It feels really good to drive down River Road and go, ‘Wow, I’ve been a little bit of a part of being in this community,’” Stallings said. “It just fills my heart.”

Kevin Dial earned the award in 2023 after years of volunteer work with chamber, Keizer Rotary Club, KeizerFEST  and food pantries. He has helped those on parole with fulfilling  community service hours as well. 

Dial described others who earned the award as his role models for how to be a citizen. He hopes the award highlights his volunteer work in the community, and the community’s need for volunteers. 

He believes if local residents found time to volunteer, they would feel better about themselves and want to do it more. 

“Once you get started, once you get the feeling of making a difference, it changes your direction,” Dial said. “And it should.” 

NEWS TIP? Contact reporter Krista Kroiss at [email protected].

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