Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Announces 2014 Outdoor Stewardship Leadership Awards 

Eight award winners were announced by Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado in late November, all whom were recognized for their leadership in motivating and enabling people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Award winners were nominated by their peers.

“Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado engages thousands of volunteers on more than 55 outdoor stewardship projects every year, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without our extraordinary leaders,” said Ann Baker Easley, Executive Director for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. “The VOC staff extends a heartfelt thanks to all the worthy nominees who were considered; their accomplishments and exemplary service do not go unnoticed.”

The award winners are:

Ellen began volunteering with VOC last year and was quickly in training to take on a leadership role. In this short time, she has already attended 15 projects (nine this year alone), participated on the leadership development committee, and has become a certified crew leader manager. "VOC combines my enjoyment of the outdoors, volunteerism, and great people. Not much can be better than that," says Ellen.

Paul has attended 60 VOC projects since 1999, and has filled several leadership roles over the years including crew leader and tool manager. Further, Paul’s energy, friendly attitude, and patience proved to be key features that allowed him to successfully lead youth volunteers on projects this past year.

A Coloradan since 1972, Paul enjoys the year-round recreation opportunities that the Rocky Mountains provide. "I like to play outside like everyone else. VOC's mission about motivating and enabling people to care for Colorado's natural resources really resonated with me, and is the main reason I decided to start volunteering,” says Paul.

Since 2010, VOC has been able to partner on 20 projects with Denver Mountain Parks, engaging 1,375 volunteers resulting in 10,492 in hours worked restoring and enhancing critical natural resources in highly impacted areas. Denver Mountain Parks has also been an important training partner over the years, enlisting their skilled employees to help instruct trainings via VOC’s Outdoor Stewardship institute.

The Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) - Salida Office manages youth conservation crews that serve on Salida's/Central Colorado's and the San Luis Valley's public lands, providing incredible service to their surrounding communities, youth participants and public land managers. 

Tim began helping out on VOC trainings in 1999 and since then has participated in more than 30 trainings. As a long-time CPR & First Aid instructor for the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association, he has brought a wealth of teaching experience to volunteers. Tim has a great sense of humor and is known for offering up some of his own past mistakes as fun teaching mechanisms for his students.

Dave’s hard work and dedication on projects and at VOC’s Operations Center is coupled with his warm demeanor and easygoing personality. It is these traits, along with his willingness to work with diverse groups of individuals, that allow him to effectively convey complex technical tasks to first-time volunteers.

Garrett was first exposed to VOC as a participant in public projects in 2009 and has been a Cairn Mentor since 2012. In that time, he has been a dedicated and key contributor to the Cairn Youth Program, rarely missing monthly projects and excelling at motivating and teaching stewardship skills to youth volunteers.

Now in his third year with VOC’s Cairn Youth Program, Hussein has demonstrated dedication to caring for Colorado's outdoors and a strong spirit of volunteerism that goes above and beyond his basic commitments. As a three-year Cairn veteran, Hussein has become well versed with many tools and tasks related to outdoor stewardship, and can always be counted on to effectively share his knowledge with other youth volunteers.