Bureau of Land Management National Volunteer Awards

Meet BLM's Volunteer Award Winners!

National BLM Volunteer Award Winners and their family and friends are joined by Tom Fry, Acting Director, BLM (far left) and Sylvia Baca, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept of the Interior Click Here to view photos of the Awards Ceremony

These Folks Are "Making a Differnce!"

Ten outstanding Bureau of Land Management (BLM) volunteers and three exceptional BLM employees were recognized April 20 in the BLM's 1999 "Making a Difference" national volunteer awards ceremony held at the historic Charles Sumner School Museum in Washington, D.C.

These special people represent the best national examples of volunteer work on the public lands. And they represent only a small fraction of the exceptional contributions that are made every day by thousands of people on public lands throughout the country.

The BLM recruits over 20,000 volunteers each year to perform a variety of jobs, from campground host to archaeologist to educator. In many instances, volunteers serve as the BLM's first point of contact with the public, playing an important ambassadorial role for the agency. In some cases, campgrounds and other recreation sites would be closed were it not for volunteer assistance.

The BLM's ten 1999 volunteer winners are: Robert and Thelma Bowser, Yukon Crossing Visitor Contact Station, Northern Field Office, Alaska; Jennifer Whyte, Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, El Centro Field Office, California; Dr. Marcel Kornfeld, Middle Park archaeological area, Kremmling Field Office, Colorado; Walt and Melody Gentry, Adopt-a-Horse Program, Milwaukee Field Office, Eastern States; Ira Juhl, Pompeys Pillar, Billings Field Office, Montana; Jack DeRosa, Dripping Springs Natural Area, Las Cruces Field Office, New Mexico; Edward W. Smith, minerals program, New Mexico State Office, Santa Fe and Don Gillen, John Day, Crooked and Deschutes Wild and Scenic Rivers, Prineville District Office, Oregon.

Three BLM employees were also selected for recognition for their outstanding contributions to the Volunteer Program. They are: Steve Smith, Ridgecrest Field Office, California; Lorrene Schardt, Montana State Office, Billings, Montana; and Shirley Baxter, National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City, Oregon.

A national panel of BLM and partner representatives selected the winners from nominations submitted by all 12 BLM State Offices and the National Interagency Fire Center. The winners were selected for their exceptional contributions in making a difference in the management of the public lands, rather than for length of service or number of hours contributed.

Jennifer Whyte: Long-time dunes enthusiast Jennifer Whyte approached the BLM two years ago with a proposal to clean up one of her favorite recreation sites, Imperial Sand Dunes in California. The BLM's Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is one of the largest and busiest off-highway vehicle areas in the nation. Unfortunately, some visitors were leaving trash behind. Jennifer volunteered to coordinate a massive one-day volunteer cleanup effort and spent months organizing it, gathering numerous corporate and business donations, as well as advertising the event. The first event in 1998 attracted more than 1,000 volunteers who collected over 2,000 bags of trash. This year, more than 2,000 volunteers collected 5,000 bags of trash. Today, the dunes have a fresh look and are a more pleasant place to visit. Jennifer is already organizing next year's event, which will include a "Leave No Trace" education component to reduce the need for future cleanups.

Dr. Marcel Kornfeld: For nine years, Dr. Kornfeld has directed a partnership between the BLM and the University of Wyoming to research the Early Prehistoric Period in Middle Park, Colorado. This partnership has created numerous opportunities for volunteers from the Colorado Archaeological Society and the University of Wyoming. Volunteers have excavated sites, documented artifacts, mapped sites and written reports. Their efforts were rewarded when excavations revealed a bison kill site 10,200 years old. As a result of the collaboration between volunteer and scientific efforts, Middle Park has become known as potentially having one of, if not the highest, concentrations of PaleoIndian cultural sites in North America.

Walt and Melody Gentry have been educating the public about the BLM's Adopt-A Wild Horse and Burro program for the past eight years. Based in Illinois, they have travelled over 30,000 miles to assist with activities associated with 50 adoptions in the Eastern United States. They have participated in more than 360 television, radio and newspaper interviews, strategically distributed over 5,000 posters, and have used some of their own 18 adopted wild horses to compete in horse shows and endurance competitions. They especially like to perform for disadvantaged youth, many of whom have never before touched a real horse. Melody is a special inspiration to those who might dream of learning to ride physically challenged since age 4, she began riding 12 years ago, and is a proficient rider today.

Ira Juhl: Ira has served as President of the Pompeys Pillar Interpretive Association since 1993. Pompeys Pillar is a National Historical Landmark managed by the BLM in Montana. On July 25, 1806, Captain Clark signed his name on the rock, leaving behind the only physical evidence of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. Under Ira's leadership, the 200-member association has raised funding for a fully accessible interpretive trail at the site; created an annual Clark Day commemoration; coordinated volunteers to staff the visitor center; and developed interpretive displays, living history costumes and brochures. In addition to his leadership duties, Ira has lent his carpentry skills to build a donation box, shelving, and frames. He also is among the volunteers contributing the most hours annually (conservatively estimated at over 2,000 hours a year) and has reached over 2,000 school children through his environmental education programs.

Jack DeRosa: Jack DeRosa has contributed 40,000 hours to the BLM over 15 years of service, averaging more than 50 hours per week. For two days a week, Jack volunteers at the BLM's Dripping Springs Natural Area, 8 miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. There, he staffs the visitor center, helps out in the maintenance shop, picks up trash, and answers visitors' questions. Jack also volunteers in the BLM's Las Cruces field office where he maintains the warehouse and recycles paper. Jack previously has volunteered at the Three Rivers and Aguirre Springs campgrounds. Jack acts as a mentor and role model to other volunteers and employees. When others see an 85-year-old working as hard as Jack does, they are motivated to give more themselves. He presents a professional image and has convinced more than a few visitors to become volunteers themselves.

Edward Smith: After a long and distinguished career as a geologist, educator and administrator, Edward Smith has been a senior volunteer with the BLM in New Mexico for nine years. He brings to his work an extensive knowledge of the geology and mineral resources of northern New Mexico. Ed has inventoried and reported on hundreds of abandoned mine sites on BLM lands. This involves extensive work, including map and literature research, field reconnaissance and site data collection. Ed also is an expert in adobe brick manufacturing and has a keen interest in the Hispanic and Native American cultures in New Mexico. He has identified specialized clay deposits for Pueblo Indian potters and clay to supply the adobe brick cottage industry. Ed has been a valuable contact for BLM in dealing with the various land ownerships and cultures in northern New Mexico. Sharing his scientific and cultural knowledge and developing a reputation as a friend in the community, Ed Smith is considered an important ambassador for the BLM in New Mexico.

Don Gillen: Routinely traveling over 1,000 miles per week, Don Gillen works at 20 separate recreation sites along the John Day, Crooked and Deschutes Wild and Scenic Rivers in Oregon as a volunteer for BLM. Don does whatever it takes to run these sites, including collecting fees, repairing tables, supervising other volunteers, and coordinating with law enforcement personnel. In addition, he is proficient in operating a backhoe, front end loader and other construction equipment. Last year, Don assisted in placing ten new concrete vault toilets and used his heavy equipment skills to install a floating wheelchair accessible fishing dock. He also welded a new stage for a National Public Lands Day event. Don outperforms most volunteers even though he suffered severe injuries in a private logging accident nine years ago. In spite of this, Don volunteers 40 hours a week and has saved the government close to $200,000.

Steve Smith has dedicated over 20 years of service to the public wildlands of the BLM's California Desert Conservation Area through his extensive and innovative management of volunteers. He started a volunteer project that transformed a zone of abandoned automobiles, garbage dumps and graffiti into a much needed urban wildland greenspace for the community. He also led a band of volunteers into the wilderness to perform important m apping work. Over 10 years, the group endured severe weather and rigorous mountaineering to locate and map cultural resources throughout the 200,000-acre Inyo Wilderness. In the process, they located the long forgotten "Lonesome Miner Trail" and created a new hiking trail across the spine of the Inyo Mountains. Steve has also enlisted volunteers to adopt and restore historic mining cabins through an innovative "Adopt-A-Cabin" program. His volunteer program devotes over 27,000 hours each year to BLM public lands in and around Ridgecrest, California. Steve's volunteer programs have become legendary for the results they achieve on the ground.

Lorrene Schardt has served as the State Volunteer Coordinator for the BLM in Montana for six years. She holds this position in addition to her other duties in environmental education and personnel. In Montana, Lorrene has coordinated successful annual volunteer workshops, manages the internet home page advertising volunteer opportunities, expanded Montana's internship program, and coordinated the State's submissions to the National Quarterly Volunteer Newsletter. Through her service on a special field committee, Lorrene also provides valuable assistance to the BLM's National volunteer program. In addition, she played a key role in the development of a national volunteer toolkit, "Bring on the Volunteers," used in BLM offices throughout the country to help the agency integrate volunteers into the workforce. Lorrene has made major contributions to the BLM's volunteer program at the local, State and National levels.

Shirley Baxter has gone beyond the call of duty in organizing and supervising volunteers and special events at the BLM's National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon. This Center depends on a dedicated cadre of volunteers, and Shirley has excelled in recruiting, maintaining and motivating a team that provides the backbone for the Center's programs. She initiated a "volunteer communication team" to address volunteer-related management issues; she plans and produces a monthly bulletin, "Trail Mix," to highlight volunteer activities; and she works within the community to promote the volunteer program at the Center. Shirley also serves as the BLM liaison to Trail Tenders, a 168-member organization that provides financial and volunteer support to the Center. Shirley's professionalism and enthusiasm presents a very positive public image for the BLM.