Volunteer Awards

Conan Harmon-Walker, photo: Brian Black

Simply put, volunteers are the backbone of Friends of Trees. We could not do what we do without the enthusiasm, dedication and energy that all volunteers bring each season to the planning, preparation and implementation of our program goals.

Over the course of the 2010-2011 planting season, over 3,700 individuals volunteered more than 30,000 hours to Friends of Trees! We are inspired by this outpouring of enthusiasm, talent, and energy by so many throughout the communities where we work.

Here we honor our most dedicated volunteers who excelled in their roles and helped make Friends of Trees an even stronger and better organization.  They deserve our special recognition for their efforts.

The following volunteers received awards at the end of the 2010-11 planting season:

Volunteer of the Year: Conan Harmon-Walker

For his passionate and long-lasting dedication to Friends of Trees and for providing positive and lasting value to the organization by crew leading at 23 Neighborhood Trees and Green Space Initiative events between October and April.

Neighborhood Trees Crew Leader of the Year: Brian Symes

For his excellent leadership and commitment to our Neighborhood Trees program and for being among the group of crew leaders who attended the most plantings.

Green Space Initative Crew Leader of the Year: Endre Elteto

For his excellent leadership and commitment to our Green Space Initiative program and for being among the group of crew leaders who attended the most plantings.

Neighborhood Trees Rookie of the Year: Lou Gottfried

For being the assistant crew leader who attended the most Neighborhood Trees plantings during his first season of crew leading.

Green Space Initiative Rookie of the Year: Sue Wiff

For being the assistant crew leader who attended the most Green Space Initiative plantings during her first season of crew leading.

Neighborhood Plantings of the Year: St. Johns, University Park, Cathedral Park, Kenton & Portsmouth

For outstanding group efforts for smooth, successful and positive events that happened concurrently in the same area of North Portland, resulting in 527 trees being planting on February 19.

Neighborhood Coordinators: Christina Pucci, Josh Guerra (St. Johns); Matt Krueger (University Park); Cody Newton (Cathedral Park); Lori Krampetz, Alyssa Phelps (Kenton); Susan Landauer (Portsmouth)

Office Volunteer of the Year: Chihiro Aldrich

For being a leader around the office in number of hours volunteered, and for her reliability and enthusiasm on Monday mornings.

Previous Award Winners

2009-2010

Volunteer of the Year:  Irek Wielgosz

NT Crew Leader of the Year:  Chris Canida

GSI Crew Leader of the Year:  Dominic Hartman

NT Rookie of the Year:  Jonathan King

GSI Rookie of the Year:  Caela Levy

Neighborhood Planting of the Year:  Kerns (Doug Lovelace), Laurelhurst (Lisa Adajian), Sunnyside (Peter Nierengarten) & North Tabor (Robert Jordan/Joe Recker)

Office Volunteer of the Year:  Luke Groser