VOC Volunteer Wins Governor's Service Award
Alex Schupp • July 8, 2013
VOC Volunteer Wins Governor's Service Award
Long-time Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado volunteer, Steve Austin, has been named the winner of the 2013 Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding Volunteer. He was honored at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, July 23 at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
Steve was the first member of VOC's Mt. Elbert Club, the highest award for VOC volunteers who have worked on 200 or more projects. He is an Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI) Instructor, a certified welder, and has designed several useful tools and gadgets that are used by trail workers throughout the state and nation. His sustained energy, gentle spirit, and incredible dedication inspires us and all Colorado volunteers.
Congratulations Steve!

After three meaningful decades, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) will be saying goodbye to our longtime home at the Dos Chappell Bathhouse in Denver's beloved Washington Park. In the early 1990s, VOC signed a 30-year lease with the City of Denver to transform the historic bathhouse in Washington Park into a headquarters that could support our growing mission. With generous support from our community, we launched a capital campaign and raised $700,000 to complete the initial renovations, which were finalized in 1996. Altogether, including the original renovations, VOC has invested more than $1 million in improvements and ongoing maintenance, creating a space that is enjoyed by our staff, volunteers, and the broader Washington Park community. In 2000, the building was renamed in honor of Dos Chappell, VOC’s former Executive Director (1988–1999), whose vision and leadership left a lasting legacy on our organization and Colorado’s outdoor stewardship movement. This space has been more than just an office—it’s been a gathering place, a launchpad for thousands of volunteers, and a visible symbol of our commitment to caring for Colorado.