Harber honored for civic efforts

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation June 14 honoring Ruth Harber.

The proclamation, presented by Supervisors Pam Slater-Price and Bill Horn and signed by all five supervisors, declared June 14 to be Ruth Harber Day throughout San Diego County.

“I know over the years I’ve been a thorn in the side of this Board of Supervisors, as well as their predecessors, but I appreciate the fact that I’m being recognized. It’s been a long haul,” Harber said.

Harber was born in Germany and raised in Brussels, Belgium. The German occupation of Belgium during World War II forced Harber and her family to go into hiding from June 1942 until the liberation of Brussels in September 1944. While in hiding, Harber taught herself to read and write English by studying an English dictionary, and she later learned to speak English by listening to the radio. She immigrated to the United States in the early 1950s and became a naturalized US citizen in 1952.

“Ruth Harber took her citizenship seriously and made civic participation a way of life,” Slater-Price said.

Harber moved to North County in 1985 and developed a passion for the San Luis Rey River. She has championed its preservation over the past two decades. In addition to fighting the proposed Gregory Canyon Landfill and the Rosemary’s Mountain Quarry, Harber has also spearheaded the cleanup of Lilac Road.

Harber currently serves as the secretary-treasurer of RiverWatch, which is dedicated to preserving the San Luis Rey River, and she is also a member of the San Luis Rey Watershed Council.

Harber’s honor was a surprise to her. “I was tricked to come down here,” she said.

She was told that she should attend the June 14 meeting since the quality of the San Luis Rey River would be discussed — which wasn’t a lie, since the discussion focused on her work. Harber couldn’t locate any San Luis Rey River item on the board agenda but was also told that her granddaughter, who had a graduation that week, wanted her to be at an awards ceremony.

“It certainly is an honor,” she said of the unexpected award. “It proves that anyone, whatever country of origin they come from, can achieve success in America.”

Harber notes that she continues to fight against threats to the river. “We hope many people will join us to preserve the integrity of the San Luis Rey River Valley,” she said.