Our volunteers are the lifeblood of RFOV, organizing and working on projects, fundraising, publicity, special events, you name it. Every year we're amazed by the quality and quantity of our volunteers. Here are just a few who stood out in 2009.
Pulaski Award: Susan Cross
The Pulaski Award goes to the volunteer that has done the most RFOV projects.The 2009 award goes to Susan Cross who volunteered on nine projects. Susan has also joined the Volunteer Development Committee and is a past member of the Aspen Skiing Company's Environment Foundation. She said RFOV offers an opportunity to "give back" to valley communities.
Crew Leader of the Year: Eileen Wysocki
Eileen Wysocki is RFOV's Crew Leader of the Year. Eileen has volunteered with RFOV since 2003 and has been an RFOV Crew Leader for five years. This year, she led crews on six projects. Eileen is always very conscious of her crew's safety and quality of work and always tries to have fun doing it!She is one of RFOV's most dedicated volunteers, also serving on the Board of Directors and co-chairing the Volunteer Development Committee.
Project Partner of the Year: Stephen Ellsperman
Stephen Ellsperman is the Director of the Aspen Parks Department, and as partnered with RFOV over the past eight years to complete a series of valuable conservation projects. Last August, Stephen orchestrated a great Smuggler Restoration Project with RFOV. The goal of the project was to transform some old mining roads on the newly acquired Smuggler Open Space in Aspen into single-track trails, install two new picnic pads, and generally restore this heavily impacted area. Stephen’s crews did an amazing job in preparing the site and staging the plants, seeds, fencing and other materials in a way that allowed the volunteers to come in and complete the project in one day. We’ve never seen a better restoration job. The volunteers on this project felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction due to Stephen’s efforts.
Jamin Heady-Smith, Volunteer of the Year
Jamin volunteered with us on the Basalt Mountain Trail in 2006. When he got home that night he signed up for six of the remaining projects that year. Since that time, Jamin has gotten even more involved with RFOV. In 2009, he led crews on Red Hill evening projects, Meadow Ranch, and the Tamarisk Removal project, served as a Crew Leader Instructor at RFOV’s second Crew Leader Training, was the Technical Advisor on the National Trails Day Project at Wulfsohn Mountain Park and on an Adopt-A-Trail Project on the Hunter Creek Trails, and co-chaired the Volunteer Development Committee.
Trail Steward of the Year: Linda Schuemaker
RFOV started this Award a few years ago to recognize volunteers who have made a contribution over many years.Linda certainly qualifies! She started volunteering with RFOV in 2002 as project volunteer, Crew Leader and working on our Marketing & Publications Committee, Linda quickly became one of our star volunteers.She became the chair of the M&P Committee and the steward of RFOV’s look and “branding.”She is the force behind RFOV’s newsletter “Our Backyard,” developed the Town to Town Tour motif and RFOV’s five-year and eight-year appeals, and collaborated on the tenth-year appeal.Linda has put in more volunteer hours for RFOV than any other volunteer in RFOV’s 14-year history, sometimes averaging 30 hours per month over long periods.Linda also serves as RFOV’s Board Secretary and was on the Tour Committee for the 2008 and 2009 events. She's pictured here with husband Mark, Chair of the Tool Committee and fellow Crew Leader.
