He was an Eketahuna County Council member for 15 years and then joined the Eketahuna Community Board as chairman after the amalgamation of Eketahuna, Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke brought the Tararua District Council into existence.
Mr Cooper's wife Avis said he would happily accept the award but had never been particularly interested in accolades - he just did what he did and didn't expect much in return.
He was involved with the Eketahuna Bowling Club and the Eketahuna Health Centre, the only provider of primary health services within 30km and an essential service in the community.
The health centre employed two nurses, and their services were free to those among the local population who accessed it.
Those services included blood pressure checks, child immunisations, blood tests, dressings, ACC cases, as well as weight, diabetes and heart disease management.
"He has always been community minded, always been involved with working at things and pushing things along," said Mrs Cooper.
Mr Harman has likewise been involved in the community for a long time.
He is involved with school committees, is on the community board, and has been involved with church work.
He has lived in Eketahuna since 1965, and rates his involvement as chairman of the Eketahuna Charitable Trust, established in 1988, as his biggest contribution to the welfare of Eketahuna.
The trust was responsible for leasing an old farm supply store and turning it into a community store for the people of Eketahuna.
Mr Harman said that had made a huge difference in centralising Eketahuna - previously residents had had to go elsewhere for their grocery supplies.
In 2000 the town's petrol station was destroyed in a fire and the trust again got involved - leasing the station and repairing the damage.
The sense of community was what had kept him there, but along with Mr Cooper he didn't do what he did for the accolades.
"There is fantastic community support and spirit, but many people have been involved and done much greater work than I have.
"There are four members on the trust that have been there from when it started - a tremendous [community] attitude." Mr Harman said.
He added that Eketahuna had bred people that had a "can-do" attitude because they knew if they didn't get stuck in there was no one there who would do it for them.
