Three Rivers Park District Honors 2026 Distinguished Volunteers

Volunteers are vital to the efforts of Three Rivers Park District. Last year, Three Rivers had more than 850 ongoing volunteers who donated nearly 40,200 hours to programs and services within the park system. In recognition of these outstanding contributions, Three Rivers recognizes a select group of volunteers each year through the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award program.  

Volunteers benefit Three Rivers in many ways, including assisting with nature and recreation-based programming, patrolling ski areas and trails, surveying wildlife, assisting with special events and races, habitat restoration, collecting prairie seeds and more.

About the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award

“The Distinguished Volunteer Service Award program is a way to acknowledge outstanding representatives of our dedicated park volunteers,” says Rebecca Conser, volunteer coordinator for Three Rivers Park District. “Without our volunteers, we simply would not be able to deliver the number of high-quality programs and services to the public that we do.”

2026 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award Recipients

This year’s six Distinguished Volunteer Service Award recipients have contributed a combined total of 4,640 hours of volunteer service to the Park District.

The 2026 recipients are:

Margi Ambrose, Monticello

• Natural Resources Monitor (Eastman Nature Center)
• Natural Resources Surveyor (Eastman Nature Center)
• Program Assistant (district-wide events & Eastman Nature Center)
• Project Assistant (district-wide events & prairie seed collection)

Trevor Chapple, Robbinsdale

• Animal Care Assistant (Lowry Nature Center)
• Program Assistant (Baker Outdoor Learning Center, Gale Woods Farm, Lowry Nature Center & Mississippi Gateway Regional Park)
• Project Assistant (Gale Woods Farm & Lowry Nature Center)

Henry Finke, Brooklyn Park

• Animal Care Assistant (Mississippi Gateway Regional Park)
• Natural Resources Monitor (Mississippi Gateway Regional Park)
• Program Assistant (Mississippi Gateway Regional Park)
• Project Assistant (Mississippi Gateway Regional Park)

Mike Kennedy, Bloomington

• Park Patrol (Carver Park Reserve, district-wide events, Elm Creek Park Reserve, Hyland Park Reserve, Outdoor Recreation School & regional trails)
• Program Assistant (district-wide events & Outdoor Recreation School)
• Project Assistant (Research)

Drew Schwab, St. Paul

• Program Instructor (Hyland Hills)
• Ski Patrol (Elm Creek Park Reserve & Hyland Hills)

Alisha Walden, Minneapolis

• Animal Care Specialist (Richardson Nature Center)
• Natural Resources Monitor (bluebirds, community science, district-wide events & Lowry Nature Center)
• Natural Resources Surveyor (Lowry Nature Center)

Volunteer At Three Rivers Park District

For more information about volunteer opportunities with Three Rivers, visit the volunteer page or contact the Volunteer Office at 763-559-6706.