ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VOLUNTEERS
What an incredible honor it was to discover that the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Mississippi Park Connection joint-volunteer program was the highest ranked volunteer program in the nation for volunteers in 2021-22. Thanks to the efforts of 5,904 volunteers who gave 34,244 hours to the Mississippi River, our park surpassed all 424 national park sites in the country!
We were overwhelmed and honored at the local effort. Thank you to everyone who participated in volunteering along the Mississippi River this year.
In addition to the incredible collective effort, several individuals and groups stood out as exceptionally dedicated this year. In fact, two individuals went so above and beyond that we could not pick a single volunteer of the year.
They are:
Lisa Keitel is a birding extraordinaire! Her dedication to sharing the wonder of Minnesota's largest migratory flyway is unmatched. Keep your eye on the calendar for next spring’s Welcome Back the Heron’s event where you can be sure she will stationed along the river bank sharing her spotting scope to the delight of park visitors of all ages (and some park rangers too!).
Was there anything the Bill did not do this year? Every time we looked at the list of registered participants, there was Bill. From habitat restoration projects at Crosby Farm Regional Park to tending the demonstration prairie at Mill Ruins, we are in awe of Bill’s service this year to the Mississippi River.
It takes dedication to return to the same sites year after year after year. It is a true dedication to tending and there is no one more deserving of the honor of Enduring Service Volunteer than Guff. Even before Guff served at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, she supported volunteer efforts in forested lands in Colorado. She comes, smile on her face, ready for action. We applaud your lifetime of service, Guff!
What an incredible gift to have hundreds of volunteers helping in a single day! That is what Boston Scientific has done consistently, year-after-year, for nearly a decade. In total, the organization has supported employees in giving more than 1,335 volunteer hours to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. For this, you have earned the Volunteer Group of the Year!
Last, but certainly not least, is the Youth Volunteer Group of the year. Our mission is to support connections for this and future generations. When young people jump into service, we applaud them from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you to the YMCA for working together to engage youth in nature!
To become a volunteer, we encourage you to visit: parkconnection.org/volunteer. You will find the sign up for our monthly volunteer e-newsletter, current volunteer opportunities, training and educational opportunities and more!