08/31/2026
Norm Showed Up
I was saddened to hear about the passing of my friend Norm Berner.
There are people who care about their community, and then there are people who show up for it. Norm showed up.
He showed up at Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas meetings and events. He showed up for Central Arkansas Trail Alliance work days. He devoted countless hours to Keep Little Rock Beautiful and was instrumental in the work of Friends of Fourche Creek.
If there was a way to make Little Rock a little cleaner, a little greener, a little more connected, or simply a better place to live, chances are Norm was somewhere in the middle of it.
He didn't just talk about making a difference. He put in the time. He did the work. And, of course, he was always ready to "talk trash," especially when the subject was Fourche Creek.
My last conversation with Norm was a phone call from him to bring me up to speed on what was happening with Fourche Creek. Looking back, it seems fitting. He was still advocating, still sharing information, still trying to move things forward.
I'll miss those conversations.
Little Rock will miss his advocacy, his energy, and his willingness to keep showing up when there was work to be done.
A strong community doesn't happen by accident. It happens because people care enough to give their time and energy to it, often without recognition or reward.
Norm was one of those people.
We need more Norms.
Rest well, my friend. You showed up.
