In This Issue

Arizona State Parks & Site Steward Volunteers Attend Annual Volunteer Recognition Events

“Food Impossible” Team

Spotlight on: Tonto Natural Bridge State Park: What do you do when your park closes?
 

Volunteer Emails

We want to better manage & support our Volunteer Program and help reduce waste! Help us get the word out: We want all volunteers with email accounts & access to get on our Newsletter list.

So please tell your Volunteer friends to visit the Arizona State Parks Volunteer web page for instructions on signing up.

Did You Know?

New Outreach Ambassadors. Volunteers from parks throughout our agency represent us at community information booths and community fairs, and give presentations to community groups. However, since we do not have any parks in Maricopa County, we are currently recruiting for people in the Metro Phoenix area to join in this effort of “getting the word out” about parks.

If you would like to
be an Outreach Ambassador, or
know of anyone who would be interested, please contact Nicole at (602) 542-7152
or e-mail at narmstrong(at) azstateparks.gov or learn more on our website.

Arizona State Parks & Site Steward Volunteers Attend Annual Volunteer Recognition Events

Despite the difficulties of the Arizona State budget, over 200 people gathered at Kartchner Caverns State Park on Friday, March 20th to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism that is vital to the park system, and to public lands as a whole.

With the generous support of the Arizona State Parks Foundation, many individual donations of money, raffle prizes and silent auction items, Arizona State Parks was still able to recognize outstanding volunteerism found throughout our system.

The gathered volunteers were able to enjoy presentations by Dr. Robert Casavant, Arizona State Parks Science Manager, Jack and Anna Childs, researchers and authors of Ambushed on the Jaguar Trail: Hidden Cameras on the Mexican Border, several discussion topics lead by Joanne Roberts, Arizona State Parks Ecologist, Brad Geeck, Arizona State Land Department, Cristie Statler, Arizona State Parks Assistant Director, Outreach, Jim Garrison, State Historic Preservation Officer and Carol Griffith, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. All volunteers were also able to experience one of our majestic Kartchner Caverns cave tours. Additionally, during dinner, Coney & Carol Oldenburg (pictured), volunteers from Catalina State Park, played live bluegrass music.

During lunch, the following volunteers were recognized for their outstanding contributions to Arizona State Parks (please see the WATCH e-newsletter for the Arizona Site Steward Program awardees):

BEST FRIEND AWARD
This award recognizes a volunteer or group of volunteers who have contributed significantly to the support of a park, natural area, or the agency as a whole either with substantial fundraising efforts or outstanding advocacy support.

The Friends of Oracle State Park (FOSP) started in 1995 by volunteers of the park who were frustrated at not having the materials needed to complete the projects they were working on. This small group decided to form a non-profit fund-raising organization for this very basic purpose.

Pictured from left to right: Tina Acosta, Assistant Park Manager, Oracle, Bill John, Former President of FOSP, and Cindy Krupicka, Current President FOSP and Volunteer of the Eastern Region.

Over the years, the needs of the park have grown, and so has the Friends group. Now over 80 members strong, FOSP has raised just over $40,000, most of which they had hoped to use in the construction of handicap accessible composting toilets at the Kannally Ranch House. However, in light of the current threat of closure of the park, the FOSP members voted unanimously to propose using those hard-earned funds to help keep the park open and staffed.

The staff of Oracle State Park are very proud to have one of the most dynamic, as well as the FIRST, Friends group in Arizona State Parks. They have been loyal and hard working and a huge benefit to the park.


VOLUNTEER TEAM OF THE YEAR
This award recognizes a group of volunteers who, working as a team, have contributed to the accomplishment of detailed, difficult, and multi-faceted projects.

There are 30 volunteers who support the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area’s Visitor Center (pictured are a few of them) from October through April. This combination of on-site and local volunteers keep the VC open and additionally present nearly 90% of all the environmental education programming offered at the park.

This work includes creating, facilitating and presenting programs, leading guided hikes and walks, researching and creating displays, disseminating information in the local communities, working with school groups, creating and facilitating Junior Ranger programs, guiding and driving pontoon boat tours, creating a self-guided plant walk, researching invasive species for the park’s management plan, creating and disseminating handouts, creating books, developing a Kids Corner in the Visitor Center, creating an inventory of the VC, updating and maintaining the library. The list goes on and on!  These volunteers are always providing ideas of how to improve programs and operations at Sonoita Creek. And once those ideas have been approved by staff, they go ahead and implement them!  So much of what we do was thought up by, developed, and implemented by our volunteers. Everyone works well together and everyone contributes in one way or another.

GHOST AWARD
This award recognizes a volunteer who is most concerned with supporting other volunteers and staff. They are reliably “behind the scenes” and consistently dependable. They are the cheerleaders and moral officers, and by their upbeat, positive attitude, provide invaluable support to others.

Peggy Morris has been with Fort Verde State Historic Park for several years. Her primary duties have been to intake visitors at the contact station and describe the Fort and it’s history.

This is only the beginning. Peggy, of her own accord, has taken on additional responsibilities such as cleaning the restrooms, locking up the buildings as well as closing out the till before going home. She also has done extensive research on the history of Fort Verde and is one of their more knowledgeable volunteers.

Whenever they have group tours, living history programs or special events, Peggy can always be depended upon to be there. She dresses in period clothing to blend in with the other re-enactors and volunteers, but she is not one who wants the spotlight. You can find her helping in the background, fixing lemonade for the staff and volunteers, carrying messages and constantly cleaning up behind everyone else.

Peggy is everybody’s grandmother, standing by whenever help is needed. She is the perfect “Ghost” volunteer.

VOLUNTEER OF THE REGION
This award recognizes a volunteer who has contributed significant service to a park or several parks in the different regions of our state.

FOR THE EASTERN REGION
Cindy Krupicka started as a volunteer gardener at Oracle State Park in 2005. She worked in the larger lower gardens at first. However, she started helping the gardeners on the other levels with their challenges and soon realized that it would be more beneficial to the park if they banned together and worked as a team. She started organizing monthly garden meetings and now the OSP garden group, with Cindy’s lead, has become the most dynamic and self-sufficient volunteer group they have.

At the same time that Cindy was growing the garden group, she and her mother Nancy took on the responsibility of the hospitality tables for the fund-raising FOSP Spring Concert series. The baked goods and beverages donated by members of the FOSP are offered free of charge during intermission, with donation jars strategically placed.  This has allowed FOSP to collect hundreds of additional dollars per concert.

After many years as President of the FOSP, Bill John (another award-winning Oracle volunteer) was ready to step down – yet no one was interested in taking over his very large shoes – until Cindy stood up to the challenge. No more than a month into the position, Cindy was dealt the blow of the possible closure of the park. She did not skip a beat. She immediately started e-mailing and calling members to start a letter drive to legislators and staged a town meeting. Over 120 people attended the meeting, including 2 representatives and one Senator.

Cindy went from a hard-working garden volunteer to overseeing an organization of over 80 members, and dealing with an immediate crisis. This dedication and determination deserves recognition.

FOR THE NORTHERN REGION
Erik Larson has been a consistent and dependable volunteer at Riordan Mansion State Historic Park since September of 1997.  During this time Erik has been willing to do most any form of public contact that we have asked of him, but it is in the area of giving tours and programs that Erik truly excels.

Not only does Erik present several Mansion tours each day he volunteers, he also has put together “brown bag” lunch series and evening lecture series presentations. He also spearheaded a revamping of the parks’ educational program for school groups.  Erik’s ideas and input have helped to make it possible for Riordan to provide outreach into the Flagstaff classrooms before the students come for their park visit as well as after to reinforce the concepts learned while at the park.

Erik has been an invaluable member of the Riordan volunteer team.  The park has come to rely on his assistance and his dependability over the years.

FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION
Kartchner Caverns State Park has two volunteers who take care of all needed electric work on the park, as well as repairs and maintenance on the electric gates, construction and installation of ballard lights around the DC area, the upper and lower village and the path going to the Cave office.

In addition, these hardworking guys travel to other parks in the region to help put in security systems and fix electric gates. They have helped at San Rafael, Roper and Patagonia.

Even on their day’s off, Tom Sanor and Jay Groothousen (pictured) are available if there is an electrical question, problem or issue. The Duty managers and Day Captains can call and they are always ready and willing to come up and fix things.

Both men also assist the park with other projects – Tom drives the tram, cleans the cave, and is on the Mountain Lion Team. Jay is the park chef, and was responsible for the fabulous lunch everyone enjoyed on the day of the event.

FOR THE WESTERN REGION
Wray Finks continues to be an outstanding volunteer at Lake Havasu State Park since he started in November 2007. He has earned the respect of his fellow volunteers and staff at Lake Havasu for his extreme dedication to the cactus garden and trails there.

Wray works continuously year round every Monday, Wednesday and Friday like clockwork. He is out there in the heat of the summer – which remember can easily get into the 120's! He and his fellow volunteers on the cactus garden crew have totally transformed this green space into the garden we are proud to show and share with the community (we brag!).

Last year we got together and gave Wray our own “Team Leader” award since everyone who meets him knows he sincerely cares for the parks’ green spaces, but he is not territorial about it. He is always quite jovial when a new volunteer wants to help out and like any great leader, he is humble in sharing his knowledge and is a true mentor and friend.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
This award recognizes outstanding volunteers who have contributed substantial service to the agency over the past year or over several years, and whose character and capabilities are exceptional.

Dennis Scheall has been a long time volunteer to the Water Program at Arizona State Parks. His interest in assisting the parks began decades before the Water Program even existed. Dennis has been involved with the University of Arizona’s Hydrology Field Camp conducted at Patagonia Lake dating back to the 1970s. Dennis assisted the park to instrument the release flume in order to produce accurate records of the mandated releases of water from the reservoir. Records of the releases are required as a condition of State Park’s right to store water in the lake.

Pictured from left to right: Bob Sekora with Volunteer of the Year Dennis Scheall.

When the Water Program was established at State Parks in 1993, Dennis readily became an official volunteer. He has assisted in site assessment, installation, and operation of measurement sites throughout the State Park system. He has also assisted with modernizing other sites that previously existed.

He also rescued flumes from their destiny as recyclable scrap from the U of A. Several of those flumes have been installed throughout the parks system. Building flumes exclusively for our use would have cost the agency thousands of dollars.

Dennis has worked with many park managers and park staff during the past four decades. They readily recognize Dennis as someone willing to pitch in and help with questions and problems with water management, allowing them to more effectively utilize our water resources at the parks. His expertise has been used at Patagonia Lake, Sonoita Creek, San Rafael, Kartchner, Roper, Boyce Thompson, Tonto, Slide Rock, Red Rock, Dead Horse Ranch and the Verde River Greenway.

“Food Impossible” Team

The "Food Impossible" Team, from left to right: Bob & Mary Lillie, Pam & Tom Sanor, Sherry & Jay (the chef) Groothousen, Gord & Dot Burgess, Jane & Ken Clapper (kneeling). (Not pictured: Mary Pearson)

What do you do when you have no State funds and limited donated funds that could not possibly cover the cost of a caterer setting up a lunch and hor d’oeureves reception food at a relatively remote State park for a Volunteer Appreciation event? Well, if you are Nicole Armstrong-Best, and you happen to know that a volunteer is a chef, and is known to create absolutely delicious food, you go begging to him!

Thanks to the creativity, expertise, buying power, organizational skills, and shear pig-headedness (I say this with love – Jay will not compromise quality, taste or presentation, no matter that the number of attendees just kept growing and growing!) of Jay Groothousen, an amazing group of volunteers catered the recent Volunteer Venture and Site Steward Conference event. These remarkable people shopped for all the food (and got great deals), prepped and cooked everything (having to use all the ovens and refrigerators they could find on park), and delivered everything hot and delicious in the right place at the right time. This required 2 fourteen-hour days, many hours before the event for planning and shopping, and time for clean-up and getting pots, pans, serving utensils and I’m sure lots of other borrowed things back to their owners (other Kartchner volunteers) after the event. Mission Accomplished!

Spotlight on: Tonto Natural Bridge State Park: What do you do when your park closes?