Volunteer Spotlight
2008 VIP Volunteers of the Year
Pisgah District - Bill Anderson of the Folk Art Center
Volunteer of the Year Parkwide - Bill Anderson
Bill Anderson has not moved rock slides or road closures or even lifted the fog, but he has faithfully and dependably showed up to volunteer at the National Park Service information desk in the Folk Art Center every Wednesday for the last 16 years!
Highlands District Volunteer of the Year: John and Ginny Outwater of Price Park
John and Ginny Outwater have been nominated for the Volunteer of the Year Award. This is the second season the Outwaters have been Highlands campground hosts. They arrive in
mid-summer and stay till the season ends in November. Reliable as the sunrise, they have received many compliments from visitors. From helping people in family crisis to helping first time campers get setup or helping campers fix generators, awnings, vehicles, etc., John and Ginny have been there for the campers of Julian Price Park Campground.
Ridge District Volunteer of the Year: Lucy Black of Humpback Rocks
Mrs. Lucy Black spent a season selling books, maps and memorabilia at the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center as a volunteer in 1991. Thus began a long career of greeting visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the next sixteen years, Lucy has spent every Sunday after early church service helping travelers on the Blue Ridge Parkway. As the oldest and most loveable volunteer at the Visitor's Center, she is the only one who has her own personal parking space officially reserved each Sunday morning.
Plateau District Volunteer of the Year: Dean and Betty Gordon of the Rocky Knob
For the past three summers Dean and Betty Gordon have moved their RV to Rocky Knob and lived there four days per week. They not only staff the Rocky Knob Visitor Center three to four days a week, they assist the district in many other ways: responding to emergencies, assisting Eastern National by operating the book store in the sales area, providing cultural demonstrations at Mabry Mill and assisting with interpretive chores as well as many other jobs.
Headquarters Volunteer of the Year: - Dr. Eric Menges
Eric Menges is employed at Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid, Florida where he is a plant ecologist. Eric brings his family to the mountains to vacation, usually spending two to three weeks. The Blue Ridge Parkway contains four globally rare and endangered plants. The health and vigor of these species is critical to their long-term survival. Eric offered to help with rare plant monitoring and ever since, the Park has greatly benefitted from his efforts.
Eric Menges is employed at Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid, Florida where he is a plant ecologist. Eric brings his family to the mountains to vacation, usually spending two to three weeks. The Blue Ridge Parkway contains four globally rare and endangered plants. The health and vigor of these species is critical to their long-term survival. Eric offered to help with rare plant monitoring and ever since, the Park has greatly benefitted from his efforts.
