San Mateo County honors veteran and civilians for continued support for military service members

This year’s honorees include U.S. Marine Corps veteran Dan Smith as Veteran of the Year, civilian volunteers Rich and Robin Harmison as Patriots of the Year and the organization Rebuilding Together as the Enterprise of the Year. 

Smith, a current sergeant with the Redwood City Police Department, served in the Marine Corps in 1980 to 1985 in western Sudan, Jordan and Kenya as a guard and field artillery batteryman to the U.S. Embassy. While in the Marines, Smith said he learned the importance of service, which translated well in his 25-year career with the RCPD. 

“Living overseas, I learned you have got to be respectful and understanding of other cultures. I try to be as open-minded as I can,” said Smith. 

While studying U.S. history at the University of California, Berkeley, with hopes of becoming a middle school or high school teacher, Smith worked as the event coordinator for the San Mateo County Event Center until eventually being recruited into the San Mateo Police Department. He has served as the executive director of the Redwood City Police Activities League, mentoring at risk youth and outside of work, Smith volunteers with Street Life Ministries, serving meals to unsheltered residents.   

His volunteer work with residents experiencing homelessness frequently intersects with his time as a Marine. Often, unsheltered Redwood City residents are also veterans who Smith said he finds himself bonding with in a special way, going beyond to get homeless veterans the support they need. He also helps organize Redwood City’s Veterans Day event, hoping to develop it into a parade one day. 

Smith, the son of James Smith, the former city manager of Redwood City and Army veteran, said he doesn’t take his work with veterans or being honored for granted. 

“I was just humbled and honored. When you are recognized for [your service], it makes it that much more meaningful,” said Smith. 

Patriot of the Year

Receiving the Patriot of the Year award are Rich Harmison and Robin Harmison, a husband and wife duo and parents of two Army veterans. The couple have volunteered in various organizations within the county, preparing boxes of goods to be shipped to troops, welcoming veterans home at the airport and acting as escorts during veterans’ funeral services.

“We don’t do this stuff to be honored. It’s very nice to be acknowledged but Robin and I just do it because it seems to be the right thing at the time,” said Rich Harmison. “It’s just how we’ve been raised.” 

The Harmisons met in 1980 while working for the California Conservation Corps, the oldest such organization in the country and helping to fight forest fires with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The pair said young love brought them together, eventually leading them to get married in 1987. Living the “simple life,” they both began working in park maintenance in Foster City, where they spent 30 years with the city until retiring three years ago. 

In retirement, the couple devoted their time to serving veterans, assisting with USO-SFO Honor Flights, Missing in America Project and Adopt a Unit San Mateo and Hillsborough, but their work began when their second-born son Chris, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2013. Their son Richard, the oldest of two, then enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2016. Though the parents “weren’t thrilled” as Robin Harmison said, they supported their sons and launched themselves into veterans support work. 

“There’s only so much you can do here in your house, only so much money you can spend going out to eat lunch and dinners. When you’re retired, you’re on a fixed income, but volunteering doesn’t cost us anything more than time. That’s what we have more of now,” said Rich Harmison, who noted their three nephews also serve in the military. 

The two are members of the San Mateo County Blue Star Moms, American Legion Sons #82, American Legion Riders #82, Patriot Guard Riders and the Warriors’ Riders. Noting how gratifying the work is, Robin Harmison encouraged anyone interested in volunteering to seek opportunities. 

Making their award even more special, they said, is being honored alongside Rebuilding Together, an organization the Harmisons volunteered with for 18 years being honored as the Enterprise of the Year. The organization focuses on repairing and renovating homes for vulnerable homeowners, including seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.

Enterprise of the Year

Melissa Lukin, the executive director of Rebuilding Together, said the organization is honored to support veterans, adding that vulnerable homeowners should not have to choose between groceries and completing vital home repairs that can improve quality of life.  

“[Veterans] provide such a critical service to our country and to our community and it’s very gratifying that so many members of our community partner with us and invest in our work so that we can provide these services,” said Lukin. “These folks make up the fabric of our community.” 

Rebuilding Together has performed repairs on more than 50 homes which housed a veteran in the past three years, roughly 25% of the homes serviced by the organization. Some repairs include ramp and rail installations, door frame widening for wheelchair navigation and roof and plumbing repairs, all to ensure older veterans can age in place. 

Ed Kiryczun, the San Mateo County Veteran Services officer and a U.S. Marines veteran, applauded this year’s honorees, noting they continue a five-year tradition of honoring veterans and volunteers within the county. 

“Each of our honorees are so deserving of their awards — each has shown exemplary service to our country, our county and our veterans,” said Kiryczun in an email. 

sierra@smdailyjournal.com 

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106