Volunteer Recognition
Volunteers are vital to our mission to promote environmental stewardship through recreation and education in a natural resources-based park system. Each year, there are on average 800 ongoing volunteers who dedicate 40,000 hours to programs and services within the Park District.
Each year, we acknowledge a select group of volunteers for their exceptional contributions to the Park District with the Distinguished Volunteer Service Award and Volunteer Tree Award programs.
Distinguished Volunteer Service Awards
The Distinguished Volunteer Service Award (DVSA) acknowledges outstanding representatives of Three Rivers Park District’s dedicated volunteers.
Each year, up to six volunteers are honored with the award. In addition to a Board of Commissioner’s ceremony, DVSA recipients are recognized on plaques at facilities around the Park District.
Current Recipients
From left to right:
- Paul Arneson (Edina): Program assistant for district events, Outdoor Recreation School, Baker Outdoor Learning Center, Richardson Nature Center; Park Patrol for district events, Hyland Park Reserve, and Nine Mile Creek and Lake Minnetonka regional trails
- Anthony Pini (Eden Prairie): project assistant (seed cleaning) for District Nursery; natural resources monitor (bluebirds) for Lowry Nature Center; project assistant (prairie seed collection) for park district; leader (seed collection) for park district; program assistant for Lowry Nature Center; project assistant (nursery) for District Nursery; project assistant for Research; natural resources monitor for Wildlife
- Charity Duran (Brooklyn Park): Program assistant at Eastman Nature Center; animal care assistant at Eastman Nature Center
- Michael Davis (Eden Prairie): Ski Patrol at Hyland Hills Ski Area; program instructor at Hyland Hills Ski Area
- Randy Hartnett (Champlin): Natural resources surveyor for invasives; program assistant at Mississippi Gateway; natural resources monitor at Mississippi Gateway; Park Patrol at Elm Creek and Mississippi Gateway, and Rush Creek, Medicine Lake and Shingle Creek regional trails
- Barclay Kruse (Coon Rapids): program assistant at Mississippi Gateway; natural resource monitor at Mississippi Gateway; Park Ambassador for Mississippi Gateway; project assistant for Mississippi Gateway and Research; project specialist for photography
Past Recipients
- Present–2021
2023: Rebecca Campbell, Ann Chemin, Kent Holmes, Karen Leistico, Louise Ogden, Rebecca Pewu
2022: Lauren Fiedor, Bill Lundberg, Lisa McIntire, Kyle Toavs
2021: Campbell Botts, Kate Casserly, John Meier, Bruce Moulton, Jake Schramm, Michael Sweet
- 2020–2001
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
- 2000–1989
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 at 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.
- 10,250+ hours
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
- 10,000–8,250 hours
No volunteers are currently at this level.
- 8,000–6,250 hours
Audrey Friedman (7,250 hours): 1 red maple, 2 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 2 hackberry, 1 butternut, 1 black walnut, 2 black cherry, 2 basswood, 1 bur oak
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
- 6,000–4,250 hours
Bob Iverson (6,000 hours): 2 sugar maple, 1 paper birch, 2 bitternut hickory, 2 white oak, 1 northern red oak
Deb Lewis (6,000 hours): 1 paper birch, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 hackberry, 1 black walnut, 2 basswood, 1 red oak, 1 sugar maple
Cheryl Batson (5,500 hours): 3 bitternut hickory and 3 bur oak
Deb Endly (5,750 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 black cherry, 2 white oak, 2 northern red oak
John Proudfit (5,500 hours): 2 sugar maple, 2 black cherry, 1 white oak, 1 basswood
Brad Pierson (5,500 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bitternut hickory, 1 black walnut, 1 white oak, 2 bur oak
Louise Holden (5,250 hours): 2 bitternut hickory, 1 hackberry, 1 black walnut, 1 basswood
Sue Leizinger (5,000 hours): 1 black walnut, 1 black cherry, 1 bur oak, 1 basswood
Kathy Glynn (5,000 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 basswood, 1 northern red oak, 1 bitternut hickory
Roger Johnson (4,750 hours): 1 sugar maple, 1 bur oak, 1 basswood
Wrick Dunning (4,250 hours): 1 bur oak
