Distinguished Volunteer Service Awards
Volunteers are vital to the efforts of Three Rivers Park District. Last year, in 2022, Three Rivers had more than 800 ongoing volunteers who donated close to 37,400 hours to programs and services within the park system. In recognition of these outstanding contributions, the Park District recognizes a select group of volunteers each year through the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award program.
Volunteers benefit the Park District in many ways, including assisting with nature and recreation-based programming, patrolling slopes and trails, surveying wildlife, assisting with special events and races, habitat restoration, collecting prairie seeds and more.
“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.”
In addition to a Board of Commissioner’s ceremony, recipients of the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award are recognized on plaques at facilities around the Park District and at a dinner with the Chair of the Board and Superintendent.
2023 Distinguished Volunteers
From left to right:
Kent Holmes (St. Louis Park): Ski Patrol and Ski Patrol Program Instructor at Hyland Hills Ski Area
Louise Ogden (Maple Grove): Natural Resources Monitor for Wildlife; Park Patrol for District Events, Outdoor Recreation School, Elm Creek Park Reserve, Medicine Lake Regional Trail, Silverwood Park, Hyland Park Reserve, Gale Woods Farm, French Regional Park, Fish Lake Regional Park and Eagle Lake Regional Park; Program Assistant for Community Events, Eastman Nature Center, Gale Woods Farm, Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, Outdoor Recreation School, Silverwood Park and the Volunteer Office; Project Assistant for Eastman Nature Center, Fish Woodlot #1, Prairie Seed Collection and Research; Project Specialist for the Volunteer Office
Rebecca Campbell (Mound): Program Assistant at Gale Woods Farm, Lowry Nature Center and Baker Outdoor Learning Center; Project Assistant for Research and at Gale Woods Farm; Natural Resources Monitor at Lowry Nature Center; Animal Care Assistant at Gale Woods Farm; Project Assistant for Fiber Arts at Gale Woods Farm
Rebecca Pewu (Brooklyn Park): Youth Program Assistant at Mississippi Gateway Regional Park
Karen Leistico (Buffalo): Park Patrol for Horse Trails, Parks and Regional Trails at Baker Park Reserve, Carver Park Reserve, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, Elm Creek Park Reserve, Lake Rebecca Park Reserve and Rush Creek Regional Trail; Program Instructor at Hyland Hills Ski Area
Ann Chemin (Mound): Animal Care Assistant, Program Assistant and Project Assistant at Gale Woods Farm; Project Assistant for Fiber Arts at Gale Woods Farm; Natural Resources Monitor for bluebirds; Project Specialist for the Volunteer Office
Past Recipients
2022: Lauren Fiedor, Bill Lundberg, Lisa McIntire, Kyle Toavs
2021: Campbell Botts, Kate Casserly, John Meier, Bruce Moulton, Jake Schramm, Michael Sweet
2020: Sea Blake, Anthony van de Ligt, Wendy Andersen, Cheryl Batson, Sara Anderson, Barb Gaasedelen
2019: Kristi Ball, Mark Basiletti, Bill Brechtel, Grace Butzow, Mason Butzow, Jane Ladky
2018: Nettie Andrews, Wrick Dunning , Eli Hamberger, Jonah Hamberger , Patty Kowal, Kevin McKinney
2017: Cyndy Darby, Dan Fortin, Paul Larson, Linda McDermott, Kale'a Pawlak-Kjolhaug, Hannah Wachtler
2016: Rita Baden, Judy Brusseau, Kim Burke Phillipp, Marshall Erickson, Luke Schaffhausen, Vicki Zierden
2015: Judith Anderson, Kathy Glynn, Adam Holm, Tom Lemay, Addison Mommsen, Lauren Otolski
2014: Deb Endly, Larry Greenstein, Marion Mc Nurlen, Martha Pakan, Amanda van de Ligt, Claire White
2013: Natalie Joscher, Richard Kobussen, Ron Seekamp, Ann Werner, Brenda Williams, Scott Young
2012: Bev Anderson, Betty Magnuson, Sarah Reinke, Jim Rogne, Kathy Smith, Terry Spohn
2011: Teresa Bergdale, Vince Bergdale, Michelle Cook, Mark Lex, Tom McConville, David Tetley
2010: Lynn Barton, Brad Pierson, John Pivec, Mary Pritchett, Charlie Radke
2009: Jim Andrews, Tim Graf, Jessi Henderson, Susie Henderson, Don Myron, Cyndi Olson
2008: Diane Bushyager, Duane Hepokoski, Nancy Hepokoski, Louise Holden, Frank Thomas
2007: Frank Jones, Doug Mason, Mark McDonough, Dan Meyer, Tom Schieber, Mary Vorhes
2006: Bob Dykoski, Arne Frederickson, Sue Hulbert, Julie Jorgenson, Les Kowal, Sylvia Winkleman
2005: Holly Erickson, Carol Klitzke, Randy Lane, Larry Macht, Nancy Porte, Vicki Young
2004: Nance Bingaman, Patty Feeney, Jo Martinson, David Olson, Ron Refsnider
2003: Ginny Gryniewski, Sue Leizinger, Tana Pulles, Jim Scanlon
2002: Barbara Lance Alldaffer, Renee Johnson, Dave Jorgenson, Sue Keeler, Keith Pulles, Lila Werner
2001: Dale Eggert, Vanessa Greene, Jeannine Mogan, Jerry Mortensen, Judy Peterson, VanDell Richardson
2000: Bob Eue, Paul Fusco, Ray Johnson, Robbie Kress, Jean Liudahl, Mike Peters
1999: Arden Aanestad, Tom Callaghan, Jim Chandler, Maurice Gale, Sheila Lawrence, Marshall Staples
1998: Cal Dinham, Robert Iverson, Laura Mae Johnson, Deborah Wold Lewis, Lloyd Moen, Bob Nichols
1997: Carol Anderson, Connie Dinham, Ron Johnson, Bill Long, Denny Martin, Ken Paul
1996: Barbara Andersen, Joel Blanchfield, Joel Claus, Roger Everhart, Audrey Friedman, Wayne Olson
1995: Dave Baden, Clara Bleak, Harry Friedman, Joanne Husby, Dee Kanten, Nick Snavely
1994: Sue Gormley, Joanne Magnusson, Candice McElroy, Rosanne Pankonin, Paul Schlick, Linda Zimmerman,
1993: Burton Deane, Cliff Gonyer, Doug Lindberg, Heather McElroy, Ed Rapacz, Louise Smith
1992: Deb Grotenhuis, Tiffany Janiak, Joan Knutson, Jill Michael, C. Perry Schenk, Don Wenner
1991: Judi Janiak, Gene Lau, John Proudfit, Jeanine Refsnider, Jo Ward, Joe White
1990: Don Hardacker, Gunnar Nesse, Mark Newstrom, Chuck Purdham, Jean Segerstrom, Jennifer Ullmer
1989: Tom Crum, Jim Gilbert, Jenny Gooden, Darold Heschke, Roger Johnson, Mike Kiefer
Volunteer Forest
Volunteers who reach 4,250 service hours with the Park District (and every 250-hour milestone thereafter) are awarded a tree in their name to be planted in the Volunteer Forest, which is located near Sumac Knoll group camp in Hyland Lake Park Reserve.
Each year, there is a special planting event at the Volunteer Forest, where special remarks are shared about each recipient from their volunteer supervisors and the recipients help plant one of these award trees.
- Cheryl Batson (5,500 hours): 3 bitternut hickory and 3 bur oak
- Deb Endly (5,500 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 black cherry, 1 white oak, 2 northern red oak
- Audrey Friedman (7,000 hours): 1 red maple, 2 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 2 hackberry, 1 butternut, 1 black walnut, 2 black cherry, 2 basswood
- Kathy Glynn (4,750 hours): 1 paper birch, 1 basswood, 1 northern red oak
- Louise Holden (5,000 hours): 2 bitternut hickory, 1 hackberry, 1 black walnut
- Bob Iverson (6,000 hours): 2 sugar maple, 1 paper birch, 2 bitternut hickory, 2 white oak, 1 northern red oak
- Roger Johnson (4,750 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bur oak, 1 basswood
- Gene Lau (10,500 hours): 2 red maple, 1 silver maple, 2 sugar maple, 2 paper birch, 2 bitternut hickory, 1 hackberry, 1 hawthorn, 2 black walnut, 1 quaking aspen, 3 black cherry, 2 white oak, 1 northern pin oak, 3 bur oak, 2 northern red oak, 1 basswood
- Sue Leizinger (5,000 hours): 1 black walnut, 1 black cherry, 1 bur oak, 1 basswood
- Deb Lewis (5,750 hours): 1 paper birch, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 hackberry, 1 black walnut, 2 basswood, 1 red oak
- Brad Pierson (5,250 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 black walnut, 1 white oak, 1 bur oak
- John Proudfit (5,500 hours): 2 sugar maple, 2 black cherry, 1 white oak, 1 basswood
- Paul Schlick (7,000 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 butternut, 4 black walnut, 1 black cherry, 1 white oak, 1 bur oak, 1 northern red oak, 1 basswood
Volunteering Information
Volunteers are vital to the efforts of Three Rivers Park District. Volunteers benefit the Park District in many ways including assisting with nature and recreation-based programming, patrolling slopes and trails, surveying wildlife, assisting with special events and races, habitat restoration, collecting prairie seeds and more.
