SEATTLE — Former Camas resident Denis Hayes was honored with a new award: the Olympic Peninsula Environmental Activist of the Year, which he accepted from his home in Seattle. The award was created by Roy Morris, of Sekiu, a graduate of Fort Vancouver High School and educator at Evergreen Public Schools, said Dr. Nancy Messmer, Morris’ wife. Morris created the award after being inspired by the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, held on April 22. “Among locally based environmental initiatives, we are creating an annual award to honor environmental activism and achievements on the Olympic Peninsula as activists work for a healthy planet,” a news release said. “The celebration for this award will coincide with the September International Coastal Cleanup/World Cleanup Day happening globally, including coastal Washington and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.” Hayes was the organizer for the first Earth Day in 1970, the news release said, “an event that mobilized 20 million Americans to action.” He now serves as the board chair of the Earth Day Network.
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