Photo by Jacob Larson for C-C Chamber.
Chamber Chair, Coralee Taylor presented Peter Abbarno with the Evergreen Award at the annual Chamber Banquet.
By Sigourney Orstad
For the C-C Chamber of Commerce
Peter Abbarno received the Evergreen Award from the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber’s Annual Banquet on January 24th.
Abbarno, who has spent more than a decade volunteering with numerous organizations throughout Lewis County, received the award because of his fervent commitment to public service.
Abbarno keeps a busy schedule as a partner at Althauser Rayan Abbarno and as a state representative for Washington’s 20th district, but that hasn’t slowed him down in his volunteer efforts.
Abbarno estimates that he’s volunteered at over twenty different organizations throughout the past ten to fifteen years.
Abbarno has ‘played’ Santa Claus for the Forgotten Children’s Fund, helped organize the Lewis County Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run and Polar Plunge, and his family helps pack and deliver food boxes for the Hub City Mission.
Not only has Abbarno volunteered his time for local organizations and events, but he also helped start events such as the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot that raises money for the Boys & Girls Club of Lewis County and the Chehalis Foundation.
Abbarno and his wife, Holly, also started the “Stuff the Bus” back-to-school supply drive for the Centralia School District.
While the volume of volunteer work that Abbarno does may seem hard to balance with his other responsibilities, he makes volunteering a priority, just like the other commitments he has in his life.
“I try to build volunteering into my life, into my regular schedule. I try not to look at volunteering as something I do in addition to my other responsibilities, but volunteering is just part of what my family and I do. Period,” said Abbarno
Photo Provided
Peter Abbarno’s passion for volunteering earned him the Evergreen Award.
Through all of his volunteer work, Abbarno’s efforts with the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce have been one of his longest-standing commitments.
“One of my first Business After Hours was at the Chronicle when my daughter was less than two months old. And I’ve been involved [with the Chamber] as a small business owner myself.
Small businesses are an integral part of our economy and our way of life in a small town and small county… so I’ve always been a supporter of the Chamber’s efforts to help make small businesses and small business owners successful,” said Abbarno.
Although he will stay busy as an attorney and state representative, Abbarno will certainly continue pursuing his passions for volunteering and his community in 2025.
