2020 Awards Night Honors VOC Volunteers

Each year, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) recognizes the outstanding contributions of volunteers and partners at our annual Volunteer Awards & Appreciation Night. This year, the event took place virtually via Zoom.

On Thursday, November 12, four individuals and two organizations were recognized for their achievements in outdoor stewardship during VOC's PPE (Pandemic Project Era) season.

The awards signaled the end of the unique 2020 volunteer season, in which more than 800 Coloradans participated in 56 projects on public lands, contributing a total 6,864 hours to 36 places across the state.

This year’s awards went to:

Land Manager of the Year: Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT)
MALT hosted two VOC volunteer weekends at their Sacramento Creek Ranch property this year and demonstrated outstanding collaboration, support, and dedication to outdoor stewardship.
Partner Organization of the Year: Grow Local Colorado
Grow Local has been a valued VOC partner for the past ten years, providing over 80 volunteer opportunities in urban vegetable gardens throughout Denver; the 200+ pounds of produce planted and harvested in collaboration with Grow Local Colorado each year is donated to local food banks.
Unsung Hero: David and Sean Kraemer

This father-and-son duo went above-and-beyond in VOC's Independent Stewardship program, collecting data in the Mount Evans and Lost Creek Wilderness Areas that will aid land management organizations in the closure and rehabilitation of illegal and unsustainable campsites.
Roni Sherb New Volunteer of the Year: Rachel Linger
A newly certified Crew Leader, Rachel was recognized for her energetic spirit, eager leadership, and reliable, can-do attitude. Many of our staff and volunteer leaders are delighted to see Rachel on project rosters as they know she will help things run smoothly - and be smiling the entire time.
Curt Chitwood Volunteer of the Year: Cathy McCurdy
Cathy has been a valued member of the VOC community for years: she has attended nearly 30 projects since 2017, volunteering both in her native San Luis Valley as well as across the state. She took her involvement further in 2019 by becoming a certified Crew Leader and has become the go-to person for tool maintenance in our San Luis Valley Field Office. Cathy has introduced many friends to VOC and is a joy to volunteer with, both on short projects as well as week-long Wilderness trips.

In addition to our Award winners, we would also like to recognize the following volunteers for their continued commitment to VOC and Colorado's outdoors: