Tyler Mode receives Battle Ground Citizen of the Year award for 2022

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Local photographer Tyler Mode was selected from a vast pool of candidates as he was named Battle Ground’s 2022 Citizen of the Year on April 16. 

The award was presented to Mode by the Citizens of the Year Committee, which included Beverly “Bev” Jones, Laura Venneri and Kendra Laratta, while he was eating lunch with his family at the Northwood Public House and Brewery.

At the event, Jones highlighted some of Mode’s interests and passions, which include photography and travel, particularly his love for hikes in Oregon and Washington. 

Mode’s contributions to the community have been vast. He started a scholarship for students who are about to graduate from high school. Mode also runs a local weather page and takes senior photos and pictures at community events.

“Tyler combined his love of photography and travel, and went the extra step, creating the Battle Ground High School Senior Travel scholarship worth $1,000, with funds from proceeds from his calendars,” Jones said. 

Mode said he is feeling better after he recently suffered a stroke. He’s working to slowly regain the use of his right hand again. 

“It’s pretty amazing,” said Mode of the award. “(I’m) kind of overwhelmed because there’s a lot of other good people and I wasn’t expecting it. To be the Citizen (of the Year) is quite an honor.”

The award was presented following a speech by Jones, which addressed Mode and his family.

“This year, the Citizen of the Year Committee unanimously chose someone who may have landed here only 10 or so years ago, but got creative and channeled their own passions into ways that give back to their community. A person whose list of community accomplishments grows with each person you speak with about them,” said Jones. “It is with great pleasure that we announce our choice for the 2022 Citizen of the Year: Tyler Mode.”

Mode is also well known for his Facebook page, Battle Ground Weather. 

Jones said Mode’s interest in weather started when he was 11 years old. His sister told Jones he received his first weather station for Christmas, which sparked his passion. 

“His weather knowledge has grown since then and we are better for it,” Jones said. “Tyler  has also gifted his love and understanding of our weather to educate our community’s kids by speaking with many of our elementary school students.”



The other members of the Citizens of the Year Committee also provided reasons on why Mode was selected for the honor. 

“There were several really good candidates, but we felt that he contributed to the community at several different layers,” Venneri said. “It wasn’t just one part of the community, it was things from anybody who was on social media, from the kids, to grandparents. He really spread across a lot of divisions and so that really made him stand out.”

Laratta said Mode is involved in a lot of things and has worked to keep everyone informed on what’s happening in their community. 

“Especially during COVID with things being shut down and locked down, he was really a source of information for a lot of people. … With the kids sports and the weather page, he serves Battle Ground in a lot of different ways,” said Laratta.

Brett Venneri, who is also a photographer, said he has been inspired by Mode’s work.

“As a hobbyist photographer that I am, I get a lot of inspiration from seeing his work with the senior pictures and nature pictures. … He really is an inspiration to us junior photographers as well,” said Brett.