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TextPark Authority Selects 2009 Elly Doyle Park Service Award Recipients
The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has announced the 2009 Elly Doyle Park Service Award recipients. This award recognizes individuals and organizations who contribute outstanding volunteer service to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
The three recipients of the 2009 Elly Doyle Park Service Award include Kathi McNeil, President of the Friends of Huntley Meadows and a longtime volunteer at this wetlands site who has inspired teens, children and bird lovers of all ages through her interpretive programs; Jack Pitzer, an active volunteer at Frying Pan Farm Park for the past 25 years and president of the site's Friends group. Pitzer helped relocate the farm's Middleton Barn and restore an historic cider press. The Park Authority also selected Southwest Youth Association, an organization which participates in Park Authority's Adopt-A-Field program, assists with development of ball fields and lighting projects, has purchased bleachers and goals and has active volunteers who serve as field monitors.
Also this year, eight Special Recognition Awards were presented to other dedicated park volunteers. Eleanor Anderson volunteers at Riverbend Park and organizes an annual native plant sale as well as coordinating and supporting a wide variety of activities run by the Friends of Riverbend Park. Tim Beron donated countless hours as he designed the Giles Run Meadow Disc Golf Course at Laurel Hill Park. Tim Dokken cleared Bel Air Park for his Mason District community working with the invasive plant removal program. He also coordinates regular neighborhood clean-ups. Ray and Patty Hubbard were recognized not only for preventing a fire from spreading but for their generosity in repairing the steep steps leading to the stream at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Vivian Morgan-Mendez heads up the Friends of Nottoway and is an active park advocate and Green Team member, an invaluable volunteer with the Nottoway Nights concert series and even finds time to pull invasive plants as needed and keep a garden plot.
The Park Board also recognized Merle and Beth Swival who have gardened at Pine Ridge Park for more than 20 years. They coordinate the Annual Earth Day and Arbor Day Festivals each year, and set up the semi-annual park clean-ups. Reforesting the tree buffer was their project, too. Richard Thorpe volunteers at Colvin Run Mill an average of 200 hours a year. He helps with projects as needed but he is a true artist when it comes to carpentry. His gear model is a masterpiece and makes educating the public and grinding demonstrations possible. Serena Wilson is President of the Friends of Riverbend Park as well as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, an avid park trail runner and a teacher of survival skills. Under her leadership the membership has grown and the budget has tripled.
This year David Gawalt, a teen volunteer, was selected for the youth recognition award. Soon to be a senior at West Springfield High, he has volunteered at Hidden Pond Nature Center since 2003. During that time he has volunteered over 2,000 hours! He assists with animal care, summer camps, and special programs such as Slugfest. He was also a member of the award winning Envirothon team.
The Elly Doyle Park Service Award was established by the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1988 in recognition of former Board Member Ellamae Doyle's years of outstanding service. The 2009 Elly Doyle Park Service Award and Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Program will be held in November. For more information contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662.
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