Stephen Frank and Paul Woodcock were recently honored with the Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation's William J. Dittrich award.
The awards were given at the foundation's annual holiday party at the Roeder Home, according to the group's Lauren Erickson.
Foundation president Daniel Tepper presented the awards to the volunteers as their colleagues and friends looked on.
According to Lauren: Paul grew up in the woods of Wisconsin, where he developed an early appreciation for the natural world. After leaving Wisconsin for Washington, he was eventually drawn to Huxley College, where he studied conservation, biology, anthropology and journalism, and eventually earned a degree in environmental education in 1975.
Paul has been taking people on birding tours, formally and informally, since childhood. He became president of the local Audubon Society in the late 1970s, and was instrumental in the development of Tennant Lake Interpretive Center.
He worked as a bus driver with Bellingham School District for eight years and with WTA for 12 years, always making time to volunteer, and frequently pointing out bird species to his riders. He is the past president of the Friends of Tennant Lake and Hovander Park, and is currently vice president of North Cascades Audubon Society.
Stephen, everybody's favorite handyman, is a man who knows how to use a shovel. He has been an asset to Whatcom County since his arrival in the early 1970s. During his time at then Western Washington State College's Leisure Studies program, he served as an intern at the Whatcom County Parks Department under director Roger DeSpain.
He has supported the effort to sustain educational programs at Tennant Lake since the interpretive center's inception. During the past 30 years, Stephen has volunteered his time teaching sailing and canoeing, and has worked on Greenways projects, planted trees for the salmon association, volunteered for the Tennant Lake fragrance garden, and volunteered at the parks-run senior centers.
Award recipients are recognized by having their names engraved on leaf-shaped plaques in Big Rock Garden Park, one of many local parks supported by the foundation through grants and public donations.
Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation is a public, nonprofit corporation that supports parks and recreation and open spaces for Whatcom County citizens. For information, contact the group at 360-389-3803 or info@wprfoundation.org, or visit its Facebook page.
LEARNING STORE GATHERS GAMES FOR KIDS
Launching Success Learning Store hosted a game drive in October to collect new and gently used games for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Washington's school-based mentoring program. More than 40 board games were donated by community supporters, according to a press release.
The Big Brothers and Big Sisters who participate in the School Buddies program, located in nine Bellingham schools, spend an hour each week at the child's school, playing games or helping with homework.
Launching Success Learning Store is a locally owned, independent business.
Out and About runs Mondays in The Bellingham Herald. Julie Shirley is the Executive Editor of The Bellingham Herald. Contact her at julie.shirley@bellinghamherald.com or call 360-715-2261.
