Volunteers donate record number of hours to Metro Parks; Board proclaims Volunteer Appreciation Week

Almost 5,800 people contributed nearly 181,000 hours to park district in 2014

Volunteers donated almost 181,000 hours to Metro Parks Tacoma in 2014 – a record for the park district.

The number of hours, which was 15 percent over the number logged in 2013, is the equivalent of 87 additional full-time positions providing educational and recreational services to the community through natural area restoration, educational wildlife encounters, youth sports events and many other services that wouldn’t be provided otherwise. Nearly 5,800 people took part in activities throughout the district. 

The Park Board on Monday proclaimed this week “Volunteer Appreciation Week” to coincide with National Volunteer Week and also recognized several outstanding volunteers in different areas of the district:

Chris Moore, a University of Washington student who volunteers year-round for Special Olympics. 

Most recently, he coached Metro Parks’ Unified Special Olympics basketball team, which is made up of athletes with disabilities and unified partners without disabilities.

Daniel Clarke, a wheelchair basketball coach who donates time at practices and tournaments, and by taking care of equipment.

Steve Ricketts, one of the 244 re-enactors who donated 12,225 hours to Fort Nisqually last year. Steve said he enjoys interacting with people. “I’ve met so many great friends who have similar interests,” he said.

Rosemarie Bleich, who donates time to the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory. “After retiring, I found myself needing to stay busy and relax ... and volunteering at the Conservatory is the perfect place to do that,” she said.

Nikala Bond, one of 56 teenagers who donated 12,400 hours of their time to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium through the Zoo Guide program. Zoo Guides spoke with nearly 560,000 zoo and aquarium guests last summer. “Volunteering has had a great impact on my life, and shaped me into a better person,” Nikala said. 

Read more about Nikala in this article from The Peninsula Gateway.

Albert Styers, who has been with the Chip-In! Habitat Steward group since it was formed in 2007. Chip-In! stewards invested more than 9,000 hours of service in the district’s treasured parks and green spaces last year.

During the Park Board’s regular meeting Monday evening, Board PresidentTim Reid read the proclamation, which said noted that volunteering improves quality of life.

“This proclamation is so true,” Reid said later to the four volunteers who were able to attend the reading. “You guys are great.”

Commissioner Erik Hanberg, who is serving as Board clerk this year, read another proclamation that designated April 25 as Parks Appreciation Day, and annual event that encourages all citizens to celebrate by participating in the beautification of parks and open space throughout Tacoma and Pierce County. Please see below for more information.

The full report for 2014, with statistics, can be found here.

Council of the Quarter:Although more “behind the scenes” than helping with park cleanups, re-enactments and sporting events, service on one of the park district’s citizen advisory councils is another outlet for volunteerism, and a critical one given the councils’ influence over district policies and operations. This year, the district’s Business & Responsive Agency Advisory Council was chosen as the “Council of the Quarter” for its work. 

The BRAC is composed of up to 13 members appointed by the Board of Park Commissioners. The group meets regularly with a Park Board member, director and staff liaison to address business planning, financial sustainability, revenue development and quality assurance activities. One member, local attorney Peter Kram, is back for a third term on the council after taking time off from the council as required after his first two terms – but still going to BRAC meetings until he was reappointed a few months ago.

“It’s a good combination of interest fields coupled with what I do every day for a living,” Kram said. “And that entails looking at risk, looking at reward and how you manage an ongoing business.”

Kram’s interest in recreation, both in terms of playing and acting as an administrator, goes back to his youth. He began administering sports when he was 17 and continued through college, running tennis tournaments, serving on boards and organizing competitions.

“It’s something I’ve always been interested in,” he said.

The BRAC puts Metro Parks staff members together with members of the community who essentially act as outside consultants. Members have difference backgrounds and bring their varied histories to the table. 

“You have some nice experiences in that group,” Kram said.

Kram said the differences in perspective between staff and citizen advisers are apparent, too. Staff members work every day within the regulatory environment that surrounds a government institution. Advisory council members, on the other hand, often bring an entrepreneurial focus with them.

“Just the mindset is different,” Kram said. “And that’s good: You want them both. You want the park district to be around another hundred years, and you want it to go forward.”

Together, Kram said, BRAC members evaluate the risks and rewards of different options before Metro Parks leaders. What should be done to improve which fields, and in what ways? Should money be spent developing “pocket parks”? What should rates on boat lockers be, and how will decisions affect the district’s overall finances? 

“What are your business options, and what are you trying to achieve?” Kram said. “Which policy do you want to favor in the decision-making process?”

Members usually don’t see results of their work for a year or two. But the effects can be long-lasting and affect the district in solid ways. Among other things, BRAC members influenced rental rates at the Point Defiance Marina, the formation of the Tacoma Open (which runs this year from Sept. 11 to 13) and the development of the South End Recreation and Adventure (SERA) Campus fields.

Kram said the district is fortunate in having good staff and many volunteers over the years.

“You’re going to get called to volunteer for something in your career,” Kram said. “Why not do something you enjoy and for which you have an interest?”

The district has three advisory councils in addition to BRAC: Active Lifestyles & Community Wellness, Culture & Heritage, and Nature & Environment. It also has the Meadow Park Golf Advisory Committee.

There are three councils in addition to the BRAC:

• Active Lifestyles & Community Wellness
• Culture & Heritage
• Nature & Environment

Please click here for more information, including an application.

“Citizen involvement on MPT advisory councils is a critical piece of our public engagement process,” said Metro Parks CFO Brett Freshwaters, who acts as staff liaison to the council. “Citizen volunteers on the Business and Responsive Agency Advisory Council have provided input that led to a review of and focus on non-tax revenue development strategies. As a result, several components of the completed revenue development plan have been implemented and are key contributors to MPT’s fiscal stewardship.“

Parks Appreciation Day

People who want to volunteer and help parks in the community will have a great opportunity from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the annual Parks Appreciation Day.

Participants are needed to spruce up local parks by trimming tree limbs, combing beaches and planting flowers and trees. Thousands of volunteers take part each year throughout Pierce County. 

To find a list of participating parks, visit ParksAppreciationDay.net. Groups of 10 or more are asked to pre-register by calling (253) 202-5978. Please click here for more information.