The City of Oakland Park has a corps of volunteers that help the City with a number of different programs. This past Wednesday, December 4th, the Bruce Garrison, the Volunteer Services Manager, organized a dinner in honor of these selfless Citizens of Oakland Park. Mayor Sparks and Vice Mayor Bolin were also present and thanked the volunteers for their service to the community.
Helping in Many Ways
According to Garrison, volunteers helped with the Hurricane Dorian preparedness, checking in with the Vulnerable Population Registry, they distributed close to 7,000 sandbags, the Young Counselors In Training performed 2,533 hours of service in our Summer Recreation Programs, they repainted the concession building at Northeast High School, they became Big Brothers and Big Sisters and they helped increase programming at our Library among some of the things they did.
They were also instrumental in the Volunteer Leadership Academy, special City events, Adopt-a-Street and Waterways Clean-up, Feral Friends, City Hall, Parks Cleanups, Bark Park and Our Neighbor program.
This year there was 50% increase in active participants with over 15,000 hours of volunteer service this year. That is 4,000 hour increase over last year’s figures.
These programs and services to the community would simply not be possible without these individuals and “we’re here to celebrate and honor you all” Garrison announced at the beginning of the dinner.
Cheers to Our Volunteers!
After the volunteers enjoyed dinner it was on to the awards.
Garrison first honored volunteers that had performed 250 or more hours of service. Those volunteers were
- Linda Holevas / 252 hours with Active Adults
- David Sauer / 265 hours with Counselor In Training
- Linda Macfarland / 268 hours with Feral Friends
- Sharon Tobias / 358 hours Adopt a Street, Adopt a Waterway
- Linda Yarrish / 365 hours at Oakland Bark Park
- Alberto Oliveira / 366 hours with Feral Friends
- Tom Hardy / 390 at the Library
- Larry Re / 450 with Feral Friends
- Nancy Rodgers / 547 at the Library and with Feral Friends
- Jose Guido Ferreira / 601 hours with Feral Friends
- Hope Gold / over 1100 with Feral Friends
- Nancy Klein / over 1200 with Feral Friends, Active Adults, Tree Giveaway
- Luz Maria Biggar / over 1300 hours with Feral Friends
- Pat Crowley / 268 hours with Financial Services and Parks and Leisure Services Departments, Adopt A Street, Waterway Cleanup, Tree Giveaway, Lakeside Sand Pine Preserve Cleanup, Feral Friends, Oktoberfest, Halloween Bash, Stonewall Parade, Make A Difference Day, Operation Our Neighbor, Summer Nights, Graffiti Patrol, Holiday Village, Father’s Day Fishing Tournament, Sandbag Saturdays and Emergency Response
2019 Team Of The Year Volunteer Award
Next Garrison announced the Team of the Year volunteer award. This group truly brought the idea of “service to others to a new level” according to Garrison. This team was instrumental in helping chefs serve up their delicious and unique dishes at the Culinary Arts Showcase. Together they have served thousands with a smile. These culinary cooperators were:
- Mary O’Connell
- Irma Doerfler
- Linda Gordon
- Pat Crowley
2019 Business Partner of Year Award
Next Garrison recognized the Volunteer Corps business partner of the year, Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo has helped the city in many different ways. They have donated equipment supplies, donated lunch for event participants, and offered skilled professional services to hours of labor at projects that have benefitted the community as a whole. They were especially instrumental in helping the City with two projects geared toward enhancement and beautification of the Stunson Nature Trail, contributing 170 hours of were
- Cesar Doza-Perez
- Guillermo Formoso
- Pedro Alfonso
- Rafael Bracho
- Jackie Kobialko
- Vincent Mattio
2019 Youth Volunteer of the Year Award
Following the presentation of the 2019 Business Partner of Year Award, Garrison recognized Tatiana Johnson for her outstanding service with the Counselor in Training Program. She amassed over 450 hours of service despite also holding a summer job. Johnson was awarded 2019 Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.
2019 Volunteer of the Year
Finally, Garrison recognized one person as 2019 Volunteer of the Year. Linda Macfarland, the Feral Friends Program leader described this person as a saint and a hero. She was passionate and dedicated and had put in over 2400 volunteer hours fostering kittens and their mothers. This saint and 2019 Volunteer of the Year is none other than my mother, Dulce Avila.
I am suspect to opine, but I am going to do it anyways! My Mom is the most selfless person I know. I have always seen her help people and animals in any way she can. She gets it from her mother, who has also been described as a saint in her own right. She is a tireless humanitarian and champion of animals and I have no doubt she will put in as many hours next year too.
When I asked her how she felt about receiving this award she said:
“I was humbled by the experience. I never expected that my work with kitties was going to bring me such an honor….meow meow meowwww”.
So a big congratulations to my Mom, Dulce Avila, the City of Oakland Park’s 2019 Volunteer of the Year!
Do You Want to Volunteer With the City of Oakland Park?
Click here for more information about the City’s different volunteering opportunities. Helping each other is one of the greatest things we can do for one another. The helping spirit in Oakland Park is what makes this community great and that is why #TogetherWereOP!
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