The Somerset County Park Commission experienced
another very successful year in 2015, attributable in large part to the hundreds
of volunteers who support Park staff to enable us to provide the extraordinary
array of programs, events, and services that our community expects and
deserves.
Volunteer contributions enable the Commission to
achieve new goals and reach higher standards of quality programming. During 2015, individual, volunteers
contributed 8,218 hours of service, saving the Park Commission the equivalent
of more than $211,000 in salaries. In addition, group and corporate volunteers
donated 1,100 hours assisting the Park Rangers and the Environmental Education
Center staff.
Volunteers assisted Leonard J. Buck Garden staff with tasks
including weeding, watering, pruning, and mulching. Buck Garden volunteers
contributed 370 hours assisting with a variety of maintenance projects and
programs. Volunteer John Hosmer, who dedicates his time and talent to
Buck Garden, was awarded the Park Commission Volunteer of the Year Award. The
Colonial Park Gardens volunteers contributed another 463 hours.
The Commission also is grateful for the contributions of
Eagle Scout and Girl Scout Gold Award candidates for their efforts. Eagle Scout
candidates completed projects at the EEC to improve the park and fulfill their
project requirements. Anthony Cuonzo,
Troop 56, built a Barn Swallow barn and nesting platforms to encourage Barn
Swallow nesting; Austin Mistretta, Troop 150, completed a trail drainage
project and improved a new trail; Bill Murray, Troop 555, built bat roosting
boxes to help endangered and threatened bat species; and Rockland Van Weele,
Troop 56, built platforms to cover wet areas on a trail used for public
programming. Members of Troop 56
replaced trail maps as a service project for their 100 mile badge.
With the efforts of
Eastern Mountain Sports, Jersey Off-Road Bicycle Association, Access Fund, REI,
Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, scout groups, and the Volunteer Park Patrol, 595 hours were donated for trail
maintenance and park beautification projects. On National Trails Day, Park
Rangers, Jersey Off-Road Bicycle Association, Eastern Mountain Sports, and
volunteers worked to conduct general trail maintenance to the Washington Valley
Park trail system.
Five corporations and one Alumni group each contributed a
day of volunteering at the EEC. These
included AON Hewitt, ATT, Johnson Controls, Lehigh University Alumni, L’Oreal,
and Prudential. In total, 422 volunteer hours were donated to the EEC by these
organizations who planted trees, assisted with meadow restoration
projects,mulched gardens, planting trees, and cleared invasive plants around
the EEC West Observation Blind. Johnson
Controls deconstructed a crumbling garden wall and funded the purchase of
materials to build a replacement wall.
Volunteers are an integral part of the riding program at
Lord Stirling Stable, serving in roles from clerical help in the office and
teaching assistants during lessons, to grooming horses and mucking stalls. One
hundred twenty-five volunteers
throughout the year contributed 3,500 hours of time to help ensure a continued tradition
of excellent programming at the Stable. Students from the Centenary College
Equine Science program dedicated a day to painting and re-numbering the
mounting blocks on the trails.
The Hughes family of Hughes-Plumer continues to
provide a unique level of volunteer service resulting in of thousands of
dollars raised annually for the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) program. For the
past 25 years, they have served as corporate partners of the Pro/Celebrity Golf
Tournament, which directly benefits the TR participants and enhances the
programs and services offered. The 2016 event
raised more than $125,000.
For information on volunteer opportunities for
individuals, groups, or companies, please call Nancy Meola, Volunteer Committee
Chair at nmeola@scparks.org
or 908 766-5955 (NJ Relay at 711 for individuals with a hearing impairment). Information on Somerset County Park Commission
programs and activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org.
