Volunteers In Action

May 2008

• Thanks to Sigma Tau Gamma and Brittney Rogers for their help with Pitch, Hit and Run event this year at Oakland Park.
• Thanks to the C.A.R.P. volunteers for helping wih the shoreline restoration project at Twin Lakes Recreation Area on May 3.
• Thanks to Susan Pezzolla, Kristen Lahey, Erik Shookman, Kimberly Tufts, Ian White, Kathy Smith, Chadrick Butler, Delta Sigma Pi, Pam Dorman and daughter and the many parents who volunteered for the 2008 Hershey's Track and Field event on Saturday, May 10 at Rock Bridge High School. Your involvement helps promote an active lifestyle for area children.
• Thanks to all the dozens of volunteers throughout the Columbia community for making the 2008 Mayor's Challenge a huge success. From sponsors, to students, to businesses and individuals this event could not take place but for your helping hands.
• Thank you to the residents of the Stonecrest Neighborhood for their work to plant six beds in the new portion of Chapel Hill Road on Saturday, May 17 and to Phil Porter with Daniel Boone Little League for his help moving mulch and preparing two beds that will be planted by his organization.

April 2008

• Thanks to Anne Kome for helping with traffic control at the Tons of Trucks this year.
• A soaring thanks to the Columbia College S.L.A.T.E. members and to David Aycock for helping at the Douglass Park Kite Flying celebration.
• Big thanks go out to all those hundreds of brave Cleanup Columbia volunteers who picked up litter this month, and to the sponsors, KOMU-TV8, The Mid-Missouri CW, Sierra Club, APAC Missouri Division, 102.3 BXR, The Columbia Daily Tribune, CenturyTel, Wal-Mart, the Golden K Kiwanis, and the City of Columbia Public Works Solid Waste Division, for making this event possible.
• Thanks to the TreeKeepers volunteers for their help prepping and distributing more than 800 saplings to Columbia residents in celebration of Arbor Day.
• Thanks to Jeff Langford and his CBF volunteers, Elizabeth Stewart, Stephanie Barnes, Brittany Rogers and her friend, and Asha Kutty for helping the Community Recreation staff host the Junior Olympics Skills during the weekend of April 26.
• A great big thanks to Eleanor Krautmann who re-designed the TreeKeepers logo, designed and layout for the Helping Hands, Office of Volunteer Services 2007 book, and for the 2008 Cleanup Columbia logo.

March 2008

• Thanks to Magaly Portillo and Meaghan Brougher for their child care help at the Bienestar Familiar on March 10.
• Thank you Raine McCray, Pat Heath, Brittany Rogers and Will Vaughn for your help with Cleanup Columbia, CARP and the annual City of Columbia Volunteer Reception.
• Thanks to Boone Landing volunteers and the men of Sigma Tau Gamma for their help with the Easter Eggstravaganze on March 22.
• Thanks Sarah Nutt, for working on the Youth Volunteer Directory.
• Thank you TreeKeepers, guests of TreeKeepers and Boy Scouts for planting redbud trees in Stephens Lake Park on March 29.
• Thanks to Mayra Canales, Jessica Durgin, Lindsey Foster, Erin O'Neill, Lauren Schlosser, Elizabeth Steward and Andrea Stief for their helping hands at the Healthy Beginnings events.
• Thank you Emilyann Allen for your help on the 2008 Youth In Action layout and publication.

February 2008

• Thanks to Sigma Tau Gamma, Downtown Optimist and other volunteers for their help with Homes for Computers.
• Thanks go out to the all the session speakers for sharing their time and expertise to train the 2008 TreeKeepers.
• We appreciate and thank all the volunteers who helped with set-up, and those who participated in the "Let's Talk Columbia" session.

January 2008

• Thanks to Kayla Johnson, Michelle Baumstark, Brent Lowenberg, Cindy Mustard, Julie MIddleton, and the Desi Club for the help setting up the banquet room for the annual Columbia Values Diversity breakfast on January 16, 2008.
• Thanks to Jake Foster for helping with the Columbia Transit survey task on January 29.
• Thanks to the fifty Adopt A Spot Beautification partners for attending the annual meeting at the Arc on January 15.

December 2007

• Thanks to all the volunteers who helped bring some fun and joy to area children by helping with the Santa Hotline on Saturday, December 8.
• A thank you goes out to the many volunteers for Healthy Beginnings who for their child care assistance during the fall semester.
• Thanks to the hundreds of First Night volunteers who braved the cold to bring this annual New Year's Eve event to our community!

November 2007

• Congratulations to R.C. McClure who was honored at the RSVP Volunteer Recognition Brunch on November 17. R.C. was nominated by the City of Columbia due his volunteer service to several programs including Adopt-A-Spot Beautification, the Columbia Hospitality Corps, TreeKeepers, Park Patrol and First Night.
• Thanks, for the third year in a row, to Sigma Tau Gamma men for helping our Recreation Department with the annual Fowl Shoot.
• Thanks to TreeKeepers Greg Hrdina, Ben Micek and Bill Reniker for their help planting trees at Louisville Park.

October 2007

• Thanks to the many groups who had activities for kids on Tiger Night of Fun on Halloween Night, Wednesday, October 31.
• Thanks to the TreeKeeper volunteers who planted 128 trees at Longview Park on Saturday, Oct. 6.
• Thanks to members of the MU Student Honor Organization, Little Sisters of the Gold Rose and Angela with Hickman High School TriReme for volunteering for the Kids Duathlon on Sunday, October 14.
• Welcome to the new class of CERT volunteers who participated in training on Oct. 12-14.
• Welcome to J.D. Calvin and Prudential Real Estate who have joined the Adopt A Spot program and will care for a bed at Forum & Nifong.
• The City of Columbia extends a big thanks to two groups who helped with Make A Difference Day. Karis Community Church removed graffiti and stickers from street poles, light boxes and street lights in downtown Columbia while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints installed a new fence, planted trees and removed invasive plants from Twin Lakes Recreation Area.
• Welcome to Altrusa International of Columbia MO, Inc. who have also joined the Adopt A Spot program adopting the landscape bed at Range Line and Blue Ridge.

September 2007

• Thanks to the Fil-Am group who planted their Adopt-A-Spot on Rollins Road and to the Greenway Massage TEAM, Hoyle Chiropractic, and Sean Moore, RE/MAX Realty, who are caring for new beds along West Broadway.
• Thanks to the many volunteers who helped with the annual Heritage Festival this year.
• Thanks go out to the TreeKeepers for their continuing good works in the city parks and trails. Again Park was planted with new container trees this month thanks to TreeKeepers!
• Thanks to our C.A.R.P. volunteers for lending their helping hands and expertise during the large Flat Branch Phase II planting.
• The annual Columbia Festival of the Arts volunteers are appreciated! The volunteers are from schools, groups and individuals who help promote fine arts in our community.
• We all extend thanks to the C.E.R.T. volunteers who bring their message to the September Twilight Festivals, helped with the Tour of Missouri and other outreach programs in the community.
• The Heath Department's Healthy Beginnings and Bienestar Familiar appreciate the many child care volunteers who help each month.

August 2007

• Thanks the Rotary Club of Columbia and the AmeriCorps volunteers for assisting with the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick event on Saturday, August 11.
• Thanks to the C.A.R.P. (Columbia Aquatic Restoration Program) volunteers for their work with vegetation management at Stephens Lake Park on Saturday, August 4 and the Phase 1 clean-up at Flat Branch Park on August 28. .

July 2007

• Thanks Dylan Conn, for your help with the H.R. survey data input project!
• Thanks go out to all the Comenzando Bien volunteers, Laura Harris, Catherine Stricklin, Deidra Rhoads and Melissa Harms for assisting with child care.
• Thanks to our TreeKeeper volunteers who pruned and mulched trees in Cosmo Bethel Park on Saturday, July 28.

June 2007

• Thanks to all the C.A.R.P. (Columbia Aquatic Restoration Program) volunteers for their hard work at Stephens Lake Park helping to eradicate cattail and shore restoration.
• Thanks go out the TreeKeepers for attending the June 9 workshop.
• Thanks to Mary Catherine and Lindsey DeLaney for their help with Flood 07 data entry.
• Thanks to all our city Adopt A Spot Beautification program partners for the many hours they spend during the season in maintaining more than 80 landscaped beds throughout Columbia.
• Thanks to all the Youth In Action volunteers for their helping hands with a variety of community volunteer projects!

May 2007

• Thanks to the volunteers of C.A.R.P. for transplanting 400+ iris for Phase II of the Flat Branch restoration and erosion control project on Saturday, May 5.
• Thanks to Denise Bryan for her data input assistance.
• Thanks to Chris Collier and Samantha Aiossa for their help with the Hershey's Track and Field Competition at Hickman High School.

April 2007

• Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who participated in Cleanup Columbia on April 14 and the rescheduled dates.
• Thanks to those who helped with special events, including the Easter Eggstravaganza, Earth Day, and the Jr. Olympic Skills Competition.

March 2007

• Thanks to the photographers, Cyndi Byler, daughter Savannah and Jan Oehrele for capturing the City Volunteer Reception on film for us.

February 2007

• Thanks to Samantha Schafer for sprucing up a publication for the Office of Volunteer Services.
• Thank you Ernie and Norma Falloon for your help at the Convention and Visitors Bureau again!

January 2007

• Thanks to Hospitality Corps volunteers, Wayne Behymer, Diane and David O'Hagan, Sue Reiskamp, Jan Selby, Norma and Ernie Falloon, Barb Seabolt and R.C. McClure, who brainstormed with city staff this month.
• A huge thanks to the facilitators and registration volunteers who helped at the first Citizen Topic Group meeting at West Jr. High School on January 17.
• Thanks to Casey Schacher who designed the CARP logo.  Great job!
• Welcome to the 2007 TreeKeepers class!

December 2006

• Thanks to Heidi Martin, Gary Lewis and Dana Perkins for their assistance at the December 7 Visioning "Big Idea" Meeting at Rock Bridge High School.
• A big thanks goes out to all the volunteers who staffed the "Santa Hotline" phones this year. Jen Micek, the Kelly Harbke Group, Rose and Leah Shindelar, Mary Pendergrass, Carrie Jo Boyce and the Adam Sohaib Group.
• Thanks to the more than 150 volunteers who helped with First Night 2007. They were button sellers, ushers, checkers, site managers, stage hands, ambassadors, emcees, and hospitality volunteers. Each is vital in bringing this New Years Eve celebration to Columbia each year. Thank you all!

November 2006

• A special thanks goes out to Larry Barringhaus for his ongoing and invaluable help turning off the water to mulitiple city Adopt A Spot beautification landscape beds.
• A big thanks to the members of Sigma Tau Gamma for their help with the annual Parks and Recreation "Fowl Shooting" event .
• Thanks to volunteers, Heidi Martin, Ernie and Norma Falloon, Gary Lewis, Dana Perkins and Andrew Ronshausen, who helped with set-up, registration and tear-down at the November 28 Vision meeting at Lela Raney Hall.

October 2006

• Thanks to the following volunteers who helped with the Vision Festivals held throughout the city during October. Delta Delta Delta members Courtney DeCaro, Heather McDaniels, Stacie Anstead, Mallory Karigan, Kayla Hurley. And individuals, Barbara Reid, Tyler Cook, Rosemary Stevens, Genny Jacks, Ken Steiner and son, Cindy Mustard, Betty Cook Rottman, Carolyn Swope, Ja'Mai Williams, Andrea Kolb, Heather Baer, and Trina Teacutter.
• We thank these volunteers for their help with the annual Kids Duathlon: Ja'Mai Williams, Jen and Ben Micek, Rebecca Blum, Doug Leahman and the members of Sigma Tau Gamma.
• Thanks goes out to the many volunteers who came to show the kids at the annual Tiger Night of Fun a good Halloween!  Ja'Mai Williams, Becky Markt and Youth Community Coalition, Angel Eskew and friends, Mendy Purdome-Blomburg, Rong Li, Tyler Cook, Andrew Ronshausen, Allison Witt and Derek Hinrichs. Thanks also to the 46 organizations and groups who sponsored a game booth.
• Our thanks to the following volunteers who helped with child care at the Health Department classes:  Cathey Stricklin, Jenny Talbert, Tamara Oberbeck, Linda Manning, Jenny Wade, Andrea Kaemmerer, Megan Burnam, Rong Li and Sara Semelka.
• Thanks to TreeKeepers who helped plant trees at Indian Hills include Robert Action, Earlene Boyd, Dan Hunzeker, Greg Leonard, Vanessa Melton, Bill Reniker, Laura Ruman and John Stegemann. Also thanks to non-TreeKeepers Chris Caffird and Ryan Chaney. 
• TreeKeepers who enjoyed a brisk morning of Tree Identification include Barbara Ball, Larry Barringhaus, Roberta Carson, Kristin Cherry, Deb Denham, Cheryl Hardy, Teresa Kight, Marcie McGuire, Vanessa Melton, Bill Reniker and Jim Thaxter.
• Congratulations go out to Mary Jane Nichols, a 50+ OAK program volunteer for being named the RSVP Volunteer of the Year. Mary Jane was nominated by Ellis Fischel, where she also volunteers.
• Thanks and kudos to our Park Patrol volunteer Darlene Londeree for being nominated for the RSVP Volunteer of the Year.

September 2006

• Thanks to the dozens of volunteers who made the Heritage Festival and the Festival of the Arts great successes!

August 2006

• Thanks to Park Patrollers Tom Masters, Rich Eyler, and Bill Pauls for assisting with traffic control at the rededication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on August 28.
• Thanks to MU students Chris Burrows, Amanda Conner, Scott Donoho and Elliot Njes, for weeding and mulching the Blue Ridge bed for their Step Forward Day project on August 19.
• Thanks go out to TreeKeepers Larry Kellerman, George March, R.C. McClure, Vanessa melton, Anne Meysenburg, Bill Reniker, Laura Ruman, Jean Sax, Gina Scavone, Herman Traudes and Betsy Windmiller for their excellent help with the Grindstone Trail Project on August 5.

July 2006

• Thanks to Columbia Hospitality Corps volunteers, Sylvia Bradfield, Norma & Ernie Falloon, Rod Gelatt, Linda Breedlove and Carolyn Swope for their assistance with the Carl Hurley show this year.
• Thanks go out to Dixie McGrath and Loretta Wilkinson for their help at the Boone County Fair this year.

June 2006

• Thanks Laura Koch for donating bags of cannas bulbs to the Office of Volunteer Services Adopt A Spot Beautification program.
• Thanks to Travis Rice and Jenny Talbert for providing childcare so parents could attend a Health Department program.
• Thanks to TreeKeepers Jessica Thyfault, Cheryl Hardy, Bill Reniker, Roberta Carson, Gordon Brown and Vanessa Melton for helping with the June National Trails Day Trailside Nature Expo.
• Thanks to Park Patrollers Rich Eyler, Teresa Kight and Tom Masters for helping with the June National Trails Day 5K MKT Run/Walk.
• Thanks to Mt. Hope Baptist Church and Rick Stinocher for planting their newly adopted beautification beds on Blueridge, and Mt. Hope Baptist Church for planting their other newly aquired beds at Paris and Vandiver.
• Thanks to Reggie McBride for weeding an Adopt A Spot landscape bed.

May 2006

• Thanks to all the TreeKeepers who helped with the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway and preparation day.
• Our thanks to Rachel Brown, Doug Stevens, Ian White and Mike Cooperstock for their assistance for the Hershey's Track and Field Event at Rock Bridge High School on May 13.
• Many thanks to the Disc Golfers and the TreeKeepers for their help at Oakland Park on Saturday, May 13.
• We appreciate the time and effort our new Adopt A Spot beautification volunteers have spent planting the newly established beds. Thanks goes out to Columbia Family Medical Group, Marsha Nelson, The Alverson-Freese Family , John Pecorak, Christian Chapel, The McCuistion Family, Katherine James and James Kaufman.
• Many thanks to all the Adopt A Spot beautification adopters who have planted the beautiful annuals throughout city landscape beds.
• Thanks to Brittany Bias, Bob Humphreys, Travis Rice, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Jenny Talbert and friend for helping with the 2006 Bike Safety Rodeo on May 20.
• Many thanks to Fera Technologies for copying the Office of Volunteer Services training video for Park Patrol. You guys are great!

April 2006

• Thanks to Russell Hall for his help with Tons of Trucks.
• A University of Missouri Caring for Columbia team of students planted the newest Adopt A Spot Beautification bed at I-70 Drive SW. Many thanks for your good work.
• Special thanks to Rich Eyler and Bill Pauls for there groundbreaking help with the Saturday morning soccer parking program.
• Thanks go out to all the TreeKeepers who have participated in the Bear Creek Trail and Forum Nature Trail tree planting projects.

March 2006

• A special thank you goes out to the members of Sigma Tau Gamma for their help with a special neighborhood project on March 4.
• Thirty-three new 2006 TreeKeepers graduated on March 11 after completing six weeks of specialized tree training.
• Robert Chastain, George Cummins, Dennis & Janet Dierker, Buddy Hardwick, Larry Kellerman and Larry Metcalf have all completed their 36 hour commitment to the TreeKeepers program. Our thanks to all of them for their hard work over the years.
• We wish to thank the 25 Park Patrollers who took time out of their busy schedule to attend a spring refresher course held at the ARC on March 9. We appreciate you!
• Our special thanks to Steve Hanch and Radhika Poreddy, MU service learning students, who have assisted the Office of Volunteer Services during the spring semester.
• The Downtown Optimist Club assisted with Homes for Computers on March 17 & 18.  Forty-three low income families now have a computer because of their help!
• TreeKeeper volunteer Teresa Kight appeared on a taping of "Making a Difference" - a program on Columbia Access TV on March 29.
• TreeKeeper volunteers and Wild One volunteers planted trees at the Forum Nature Area on March 25.

February 2006

• Over a dozen volunteers shared their weekend to make the "Let's Talk Columbia!" Study Circles a great success on February 11 & 12. The study circles are a program of the Columbia Human Rights Commission to encourage dialogue in our community on issues of diversity.
• Thanks to all the Adopt A Spot beautification volunteers who attended and particpated in the round-table discussion meeting with guests, Master Gardener Carolyn Oates and Barb Kribbs.

January 2006

• Thanks go out to Jessica Monroe, Sarah Brockman, Tim Colyer and the four Alpha Tau Omega volunteers, headed by Daniel Besmer for their help in placing table tents in the MU cafeterias explaining the city transit system.

December 2005

• TreeKeepers, Barbara Ball, Jeff Comparato, Buddy Hardwick, Dan Hunziker, James Kaufman, Larry Kellerman, George March, Vanessa melton, Larry Metcalf, Bill Reniker and Brad Stevenson braved the cold on Saturday, December 3, to plant 25 ball and burlap trees as the work continues on the Grindstone Dolomite Forest restoration. Thanks!
• Ho Ho Ho! Many thanks to Lindsey Baumgartner, Patrika Brown, Marissa Hoppe, Afton Pratt and the men of MU's Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity for their enthusiastic help answering phones for the Santa Hotline on Saturday, December 8.
• Without the 130+ volunteers from throughout our community working together, First Night would not have happened again this year. Our gratitude and thanks go out to the Site Managers, Ambassadors, Ticket and Merchandise Sales people, Ushers, Survey-Takers, Carriage Ride Assistants and Bubble-Wrap installers. 

November 2005

• Thanks to David & Diane O'Hagan for providing daylilies to the City of Columbia Adopt-A-Spot Beautification program.
• Congratulations to George & Shirley Marshall who were nominated for the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteer of the year. George & Shirley were recognized on November 5.
• Over 30 volunteers gathered at the Fairview United Methodist Church on Wednesday, November 2 to practice setting up a volunteer reception center in the event of a disaster. Thank you for your time!
• MU Student Holly Bahr is assisting the Office of Volunteer Services with recruiting volunteers for First Night 2006.
• Thanks go out to the members of Columbia Independent School National Honor Society for their work on the Adopt A Spot Beautification bed. Good job!
• Thanks to Sigma Tau Gamma members, Brad White, Boug Lehmann, Mark Karr, Ryan Chaney and Joe Oliaro for helping Parks and Recreation with the Fowl Shooting Contest at the Sports Armory this year!
• TreeKeepers, Vanessa Melton, Greg Leonard, Brad Stevenson, Afton Pratt, Bill Reniker, Robert Acton, Larry Kellerman, Jean Saz, Shannon Murray, Barbara Ball and James Kaufmann, completed the second phase of the Grindstone Dolomite Forest restoration project on November 13. Thanks for all you do!

October 2005

• Special thanks to the MU Student Society of Civil Engineers, Chuck Poston, Clarice Baragary, Tom Hiles, Mike Astrak and Nick Harvey for their help on phase one of the Grindstone Park dolomite forest restoration project along with nine TreeKeepers on Saturday, October 8.
• Thanks go out to Ryan Rounkles for his hard work tending an adopt a spot beautification landscape bed this month as preparation for his entry to the Peace Corps.
• Chapman Heating & Air Conditioning has installed new landscaping at their Adopt A Spot bed located north of Stadium Boulevard at the Forum Boulevard intersection.
• Meg Duffy is working on a scrapbook to record the history fo First Night 2006.
• Thanks to Larry Barringhaus for turning the water off to our Adopt A Spot landscape beds.
• Fun City Youth Academy participated in a stream cleanup with Public Works-Stormwater. This is the third year of participation for Fun City and they are still enthusiastic! Continued thanks to them all!
• Thanks to Henry Antolak for gretting hurricane evacuees at the MARC.
• The newly mulched Adopt A Spot Beautification landscaped beds are thanks to Hunter's Gate Neighborhood Association, Garth & Blueridge roundabout, BAHA'I Faith, Broadfield St. and The Aktion Club of Columbia, corner of Paris and Hinkson.
• Special continuing thanks to Jody Stotsky, who has supplied and assisted in planting many perrenials in various Adopt A Spot beautification landscape beds around town this season.
• Thank go out to two CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) members, Fa'tima Miller and Steve Wise, who have gone to help with hurricane relief in Louisiana. This is Fa'tima's second deployment to that region.

September 2005

• Thanks to Jody Stotsky who has provided dozens of plants this fall for Adopt-A-Spot beds. Jody has divided plants from her beautiful yard!
• Members of Beta Theta Pi gave nearly 100 hours to cleanup Adopt-A-Spot beds in Forum Boulevard. Enjoy the drive down Forum Boulevard!
• Dozens of volunteers made the Festival of the Arts a wonderful success on September 24 & 25. Thanks to all those who helped!!
• Park Patrol volunteer Tom Masters shared his experiences with new Park Patrol volunteers at the training on September 21.
• Thanks to the dozens of volunteers who helped at the Heritage Festival on September 17 & 18. Volunteers helped in the children's area, conducted surveys, and helped in parking.
• Courtney O'Shaughnessy helped with planting and mulching on September 10 during a Grow Native! demonstration yard planting.
• Don Waltman and members of the Northwest Rotary are taking over an Adopt-A-Spot bed in Brown Station Road.
• CERT Volunteer Fa'tima Miller is working at the Houston Astrodome following Hurricane Katrina. Fa'tima was part of the 04 response to the Florida Hurricanes.

August 2005

• Tre Hern was selected as the "Most Valuable Volunteer" for the Youth In Action, a volunteer program for kids 12-15 years of age. Dylan Conn logged the most hours throughout the summer.

• Thanks to MU Students from the Psychology FIG (Freshman Interest Group) for planting the median bed in Forum Boulevard near the intersection of Dunbar on Saturday, August 20. The bed will soon be adopted by Charlie & Laurie Digges.
• A dozen TreeKeeper volunteers helped remove honeysuckle that was invading the parking lot and shelter near Maplewood Drive at Kiwanis Park on Saturday, August 20.
• Alisa Hutchison, an MU Veterinary Medicine Student, cleaned out debris from the Blind Boone Home that is currently under renovation.
• Members of MU's Alpha Tau Omega assisted Columbia transit in distributing information on the city's bus system to students and parents at Lange Middle School on August 15 & 16.

Want to see Volunteer Columbia in action?

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Updated: 5/17/2008

 

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