Karen Padgett Named Recipient of 2026 Stevens Award
Karen Padgett
Post Date: August 26, 2026 12:06 p.m.
A Garner resident with more than four decades of wide-ranging contributions to the community has been selected to be the 2026 recipient of the James R. Stevens Service to Garner Award.
Karen Padgett was recognized for her service to the community spanning from her days as an educator to her more recent volunteer work of preserving and telling the story of her hometown and its rich history.
“What makes her especially deserve the James R. Stevens Service to Garner Award is not only the length of her service, but the spirit in which she served,” the award nomination says. “Her decades of meaningful service have touched students, civic organizations, cultural institutions, historical preservation efforts and community members. For these reasons, she is highly deserving of recognition with the James R. Stevens Service to Garner Award.”
Garner Area Historical Society
In recent years, Ms. Padgett has become best known for her work as one of the founders and key leaders of the Garner Area Historical Society (see her spotlighted in Our State magazine). From 2017 to 2025, she helped build the organization from its inception to the society’s successful creation of the Garner History Museum at the Depot, located in Downtown Garner at 106 Pearl St.
As the society’s first treasurer and vice president, Ms. Padgett provided essential financial leadership and helped create a strong organizational foundation, the award nomination notes. She also built the society’s website, recruited charter board of directors and founding members, supported fundraising efforts, created museum exhibits and arranged tours designed for visitors of all ages, the nomination adds.
“Through these efforts, she helped ensure that Garner’s history would be preserved, shared and celebrated for generations to come,” the nomination says.
Ms. Padgett continues to find new ways to serve the community by connecting Garner’s history to its evolving identity. Earlier this year, she provided essential research and historical context for Garner’s Juneteenth Celebration, which focused on post-Civil War property ownership in the Garner area.
Ms. Padgett's commitment to service goes back to her time as an educator at Garner High where she was class advisor for the Garner High School Class of 1986 and led class officers in activities involving homecoming week, the annual class fundraiser planning and decorating for prom and planning end of year activities.
Later, she helped Miss Garner Pageant Scholarship Association contestants prepare for interviews, chaperoned local events and supported participants at two Miss America Pageants. “Forty years later, one Miss Garner credits her ... encouragement and mentoring as a defining part of her Miss North Carolina experience,” the award nomination says.
Ms. Padgett’s professional background is in education, and some of her volunteer work has focused on education as well. She has volunteered as a teacher and mentor with Communities in Schools at Garner Magnet High School and served for three years on the Board of Directors of the Garner Educational Foundation, helping to bolster local education and community partnerships.
For 14 years at the Chamber of Commerce, she contributed to events and special projects including the Connect conference, Broadway Voices, Summit Awards, Business After Hours and the Chamber's annual meeting.
Ms. Padgett also has past experience volunteering with The Towne Players of Garner, working in ticket sales, as an usher and providing administrative services.
Ms. Padgett currently serves as a home and garden docent at the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion, and she was recently appointed to the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission.
Summing up Ms. Padgett’s commitment to the community, the award nomination states, “For many years she has given her time, talents and heart to the Garner community and beyond, not for recognition, but because serving others is a part of who she is."
About the James R. Stevens Service to Garner Award
The James R. Stevens Service to Garner Award was established by the Stevens family to recognize individuals who have made substantial, outstanding contributions to the Town of Garner over a period of many years. Preference is given to nominees with 20 or more years of service. Non-residents of Garner are eligible recipients if the award committee determines that they meet the criteria necessary to receive the honor. Individuals also can be recognized posthumously.
Via Town of Garner