HEBER SPRINGS — Mason Harris is the youngest Volunteer of the Year the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce has ever had — by decades. Just 10, he’s also the youngest ambassador in the program’s history.
Mason said the reason he volunteers is simple: “I really like doing it because I want to make Heber Springs a good place to be in, where most people would want to be, and just to serve others, I guess,” he said. “I think it’s pretty cool that they recognized me for it.” He received the honor and his badge in November at a luncheon.
“I went to the chamber luncheon, like most years I go, and they called me up in front of the room, and they talked about me, and they gave me a name badge that said, ‘Mason Harris - Ambassador - Chamber of Commerce’ on it,” he said.
Arlene Anderson, office manager for the Heber Springs chamber, said Mason is exceptional.
“He’s just an awesome, awesome child,” she said. Anderson recalled how he helped with the chamber’s 50th anniversary celebration of the Greers Ferry Dam event last year, “picking up chairs and different things, helping clean up, helping get things back in order. It’s the same with other events,” she said. “When he looks at you, he’s got this big smile like, ‘What’s next?’”
Chamber Executive Director Julie Murray, who has been at the helm about five months, said Mason has impressed her in the short time she’s been at the chamber.
“He was at every event this year and always working, always working,” Murray said. “For a kid that age, he was just amazing. Anything we asked of him, it was, ‘Yes, ma’am,’ and off he went.”
Mason said he got the love of volunteering from his church, First United Methodist Church in Heber Springs, and his parents, Dr. Pete and Kelli Harris. Mason’s father is on the chamber of commerce board of directors, but Mason isn’t riding on his father’s coattails.
Harris said his son always had the desire to serve.
“Even before I was on the board, when the chamber asked for volunteers, I’d go down and help with events, and he’d go with me,” Harris said. For example, he said Mason went with him to help set up butterfly tents at Springfest.
“He has always been one that he wants to help out, like at church when we’re setting up chairs or picking up chairs. As I’ve volunteered, … he’s been the one who wants to come along. He’s always happy to help out.”
Mason is a fifth-grader and a straight-A student at Heber Springs Elementary School, where his favorite subject is history.
“I like it a bunch,” he said of school. Mason said he lived in Higden and Greers Ferry until he was 5, and that he was “probably 8 or 9” when he started volunteering for the Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I can’t really remember the first thing I did — it was probably helping out at the [World Championship] Cardboard Boat Races a couple of years ago,” he said, and he volunteered for the event again last year. “I helped set up some stuff and put out extension cords, set up trash cans and hoses.” He also volunteered to do whatever was needed at the Fireworks Extravaganza the past two or three years, he said.
People should want to live in Heber Springs because “the lake is great, and our good Fourth of July fireworks and our fun cardboard boat races,” he said, sounding like the ambassador he is. “It’s a great area.
“Last year, I helped with the dam rededication program. I think the most fun thing I’ve been to is the dam rededication because I got to see President Clinton, and I got to see Gov. Beebe, too.”
Meeting elected officials and former presidents is right down Mason’s alley because of his career goals.
“I want to be in the Army,” he said, adding that he likes to play Army in his spare time. Mason said he’s interested in the military for the same reason he volunteers, “to help others — to make the United States a good place to live. After I get out of the Army, I want to be the president.”
Mason said he isn’t sure what he wants to do if he’s elected president.
“I’ll figure it out if I win the election, I guess,” he said.
At 10 years old, he has plenty of time for that.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.