Last Thursday, our volunteers were honored at OneOC’s “Spirit of Volunteerism” awards. Our entire volunteer team – over 100 regular, long-term volunteers! – were nominated by OC Parks staff at Aliso and Wood Canyons and Laguna Coast Wilderness Parks. Volunteer Susan Munson represented our volunteers at the dinner and awards ceremony, joined by Barbara Norton, Supervising Park Ranger for Laguna Coast Wilderness Park; LCF Executive Director Hallie Jones; and OC Parks Resource Specialist Rick Schaffer.
As the nomination explains,
“The volunteers of Laguna Canyon Foundation (LCF) have worked for years to save and protect the open space in and around Laguna Canyon. In 2015 alone, 135 volunteers provided 6,331 hours of service in support of OC Parks’ Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. LCF volunteers serve the parks in a variety of ways: greeting park visitors and assisting with trail directions to ensure visitors have a safe and enjoyable time in the park; maintaining the trails and ensuring they are safe for hikers, bikers, and equestrians; designing and conducting interpretive programs for the general public as well as school groups that come to the park on field trips; leading restoration activities that help restore old ranch lands back to their native habitat; and performing Citizen Science projects, such as servicing wildlife monitoring cameras to help OC Parks monitor the wildlife that inhabit the parks. The staff at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park are amazed by -and grateful for – the dedication and exceptional service provided by Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers.”
“We’re so lucky to have such wonderful volunteers,” Jones said. “What a lovely way to honor their commitment. We couldn’t do what we do without them!”
Thank you to OC Parks staff for the nomination – and thank you again and again to our volunteers, who give back to LCF and to the community every day, and make what we do possible!