Park Board Names 2006 Elly Doyle Park Service Honorees

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board announced the 2006 Elly Doyle Park Service Award recipients at their regular board meeting held Wednesday, July 26, 2006. This award is the most prestigious recognition given by the Park Authority to individuals or organizations who contribute outstanding volunteer service to the Fairfax County Park Authority.

The three recipients of the 2006 Elly Doyle Park Service Award include the Chantilly Youth Association, Inc. recognized for their support of youth sports enterprises; Russell Slater of Annandale, a longtime volunteer at Hidden Oaks Nature Center whose contributions top 4,100 hours of diverse volunteer service, and P.J. Dunn of Alexandria, a multi-talented volunteer at Huntley Meadows Park where he interacts with visitors and serves as informal ambassador to the visitors at the popular birding and wetlands site.

Also recognized this year were CentrevilleDogs, the citizens group which was instrumental in the creation and operation of Quinn Farm Dog Park in Chantilly; Cathy Mayes, former president and co-founder of the Friends of Riverbend Park; Bill Koch, a Springfield resident and longtime volunteer at Burke Lake Park where he operates and repairs the miniature locomotive; Michael J. Moran, a Vienna resident and volunteer at Colvin Run Mill since 1992; and the Friends of Nottoway Park, an organization composed of park neighbors dedicated to preservation and enhancement of the park’s amenities and concert series.

Each year the Park Authority selects one student nominee to share in the award recognition as well as serving as a role model for other young volunteers in the parks. This year’s selectee is Sally Holtgrieve, a home-schooled teen and Springfield resident, who is an active volunteer at Hidden Pond Nature Center. Holtgrieve utilizes her skills as a talented and creative videographer to teach youngsters the importance of stewardship.

The Elly Doyle Park Service Award was established by the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1988 in recognition of Ellamae Doyle‘s years of outstanding service toward the preservation of parkland, natural resources and recreational facilities and opportunity. The purpose of the award is to publicly recognize a volunteer or group of volunteers for outstanding contributions to the Fairfax County parks and programs.

The 2006 Elly Doyle Park Service Awards and Outstanding Volunteer Recognition Program will be held on Friday, November 17, 2006. These honorees as well as volunteers from dozens of Park Authority sites will be recognized for their outstanding contributions during the program. For more information about this recognition program or the honorees contact the Public Information Office at 703-324-8662. For more information about volunteering visit us online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/volunteer.htm.