It was all about the volunteers on March 5 when the Monmouth County Park System held its annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony at Hominy Hill Golf Course, Colts Neck.
Throughout the year, 997 people volunteered a total of 23,294 hours assisting the park system with recreation programs, special events and park facilities, according to a press release. During the event, park system staff honored 152 volunteers who gave more than 40 hours in the past year.
A poignant moment came when the park system recognized volunteers who hit milestones in their service hours. Gerry Lingner of Long Branch and Alex Osnato of Middletown each gave more than 3,000 hours and James Henry of Lincroft crossed the 9,000-hour mark, according to the press release.
Working as a team with park system staff, volunteers can be found helping in many ways. They act as historic interpreters and demonstrators at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel and Historic Walnford in Upper Freehold Township, serve as leaders on bus trips to sporting and cultural events, and assist in offices, according to the press release.
They are invaluable to the park system’s therapeutic horseback riding program by assisting riders during individual lessons. Volunteers can also be found acting as docents, participating in beach cleanups, gardening, maintaining trails, and serving as educators in the Beach Nesting Bird Monitor program, according to the press release.
They help make special events run smoothly and assist with programs and camps. Volunteers who gave more than 40 hours in 2016 are:
Alyssa Austin, Colts Neck, Denise Bixby, Howell, Janice Blake, Freehold, Pamela Bluish, Upper Freehold Township, Janet Breslin, Jackson, Mitchell Bundschuh, Freehold, Monica Cantor, Morganville.
And, Barbara Carroll, Colts Neck, Hanna Ceppaluni, Freehold, Helen Cole, Freehold, Louise DelCollo, Colts Neck, Barbara Duggan, Freehold, Barbara Finazzo, Jackson, Cheryl Fulmer, Freehold, Cheryl Greenfield, Freehold, Donna Hansen, Freehold.
Also, Hope Hershman, Colts Neck, Lucy Hopkinson, Colts Neck, Katie Kalfayan, Morganville, Laura Kavanagh, Colts Neck, Katie Lasko, Morganville, Emily McNeill, Colts Neck, Frank Nofi, Manalapan.
And, Thomas Puskar, Howell, Ben Sammarco, Colts Neck, Ellen Terry, Millstone Township, Anna-Marie Van Brunt, Jackson, Nicholas West, Colts Neck, and Lewis Whitaker, Howell.