Don Clement Honored with Longard Volunteer Award

Exeter, NH - June 9th, 2023: Longtime resident and former Select Board member Don Clement has been selected by the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment to receive the Longard Volunteer Award. The award recognizes an outstanding volunteer in the Gulf of Maine watershed who has made significant contributions to conserving or managing the Gulf’s resources. Mr. Clement is being recognized for his decades of volunteer service, including his work on the Exeter-Squamscott River Local Advisory Committee (ESRLAC), Exeter Select Board, Exeter Conservation Commission, and as a Commissioner of the Rockingham Planning Commission.

Watch Exeter TV's interview with Mr. Clement on YouTube.

Theresa Walker, Consulting Planner for the Rockingham Planning Commission, nominated Mr. Clement for the award after working with him for decades on various projects as he served on ESRLAC and on other committees including the Exeter Select Board and Conservation Commission. She primarily worked with Mr. Clement on the local advisory committee where he served as one of the first members of the group. "I really believe he captures all the attributes of the award," says Walker. Walker went on to explain that the organization recognizes an individual committed to volunteer programs, dedicated to environmental protection and sustainability of natural resources within the Gulf of Maine Watershed. The award is highly competitive with nominees from Nova Scotia to Massachusetts, likely encompassing thousands if not hundreds of thousands of volunteers.  Walker continued that Mr. Clement has worked often behind the scenes saying,  "a lot of things that people don't see him for on cable access TV. He has been a volunteer river quality monitor, he just works behind the scenes very quietly always thinking what is the best action we can take to protect the Exeter-Squamscott River."

When asked about what it was like to receive the award, Mr. Clement felt very honored, humbled and grateful saying "I feel there's a lot more people a lot more deserving than me. It's just one small effort I make compared to what a lot of people have done to improve the resource in the Gulf of Maine."

Through his time on the Select Board and other committees, Mr. Clement was involved with many projects having a positive impact for the Town and the watershed. Some of these projects include the Great Dam Removal process, improving water quality though upgrades to Exeter's wastewater treatment plant, and many land conservation projects.

What first got Mr. Clement interested in conservation was his love of fishing. When he began to spend more time on the water he started notice things in the Exeter River. He said "It made you think about what is the quality of the water and the resources. And so, I joined the Conservation Commission back in the early 90's and the next progression was the Exeter-Squamscott River Local Advisory Committee." He went onto explain that has he began approaching retirement, he spent more and more time with different groups working on water related issues. In his decades of service, he most enjoyed the company of others who were  invested in pushing for environmental improvements in Exeter.  He said "As I talk to different people in different municipalities, that Exeter was really kind of in the lead, and we still are today." 

Local communities need volunteers to serve on their many boards and committees to keep the basic government operations running smoothly. Volunteers, such as Mr. Clement, demonstrate the importance of this volunteer work as Town Manager Russ Dean explains, "In a form of government like we have, SB2, it is particularly important because you have a lot of boards and commissions that are responsible for putting forward not just ideas, but actions. And its very, very important that people find the time to volunteer and step up. So in that capacity, Don has been everything and more."  

With this award, Mr. Clement becomes the second Exeter resident to receive this award. The late Pete Richardson also served on the Exeter-Squamscott Local River Advisory Committee and took a leadership role with the removal of the Great Dam. For Mr. Richardson's long service, he too was awarded by the Gulf of Maine Council.

For residents who may be interested in volunteering but haven't signed up, Mr. Clement has a simple message, get involved. Mr. Clement said that "If you just do a little, just a little, by everybody, it goes a long way. And I think when you get involved and you're passionate you're going to enjoy it. Not only are you going to make a difference, but you're going to enjoy what you do." 

A full list of board and committee vacancies can be found on the Boards, Committes, and Commissions page. If residents have questions about specific boards or committees, they are encouraged to attend a meeting or reach out to the Town Manager's Office at (603) 773-6102 or pmcelroy@exeternh.gov for more information. Residents can also watch a short video series about Town boards on the Exeter TV YouTube page. The Exeter-Squamscott River Local Advisory Committee (ESRLAC) also has two openings for Exeter representatives, those interested in learning more can visit ESRLAC's website or contact Theresa Walker at theresawalker@comcast.net.