[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 79 (Friday, May 7, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING TRISH BERGREN AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 7, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Trish Bergren of 
Clarinda, Iowa as Iowan of the Week. Trish is a respected leader in the 
Clarinda and Page County community who has touched countless lives 
through her work as the Executive Director of the Clarinda Carnegie Art 
Museum and as the curator for the Nodaway Valley Historical Museum. 
Trish has a deep love, and passion for preserving the history of her 
community and being a guardian of the knowledge of the past for future 
generations.
  Trish's family is no stranger to Page County and has family roots in 
the area that go back more than 160 years. This deep-seated passion for 
local history and helping young people engage in this history drove her 
to a career she loves and even a book that covers the subject. Despite 
having moved away from the area for a time, she made the decision to 
return and couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Her love for the 
community she works is truly heartwarming to hear. Those who work with 
her claim she has both improved their lives and changed their outlook 
for the future for the better.
  As part of her duties with the Historical Museum, Trish formed the 
Adopt-A-Grave program in 2013. The program, under the Historical 
Society, has worked to clean, find lost headstones, and rehab more than 
750 headstones across the 50 pioneer cemeteries in Page County. This 
undertaking has a group of students at Clarinda High School who manage 
the program, while more than 39 students and 12 adults have assisted 
with various projects. This is just one tangible initiative run by 
Trish to give dignity to the history of those who came before us and 
ensure the pride the community holds in honoring the past.
  In addition to her already busy service to the community, Trish 
serves on the Clarinda School Board, where she was elected in 2019 as a 
new member.
  In consideration of the dedication to serving the community, Trish is 
a pillar of the community in not only Clarinda but the State of Iowa. 
Her reputation as a kind and selfless person precedes her and her work 
speaks for itself. Clarinda is a strong community because of the 
individuals, like Trish, who make it such a wonderful place. The work 
Trish has performed, and that which she has inspired others to take 
upon themselves will ensure that the history of the community will 
endure. Stemming from this dedication to serve the community and 
preserve the story of its past for future Iowans to learn from and 
enjoy, I am proud to recognize Trish Bergren as Iowan of the week.

                          ____________________