Hundreds of volunteers of all ages and abilities contributed 68,068 hours of service to Boise Parks & Recreation — the equivalent of 33 full-time employees or $1.05 million in labor costs.
Boise Parks & Recreation volunteers help with general park maintenance, including painting, tree wrapping, planting, and mulching, site amenity construction, and trash pick-up. They also pitch in for special events like Boo at the Zoo, support environmental education at the Foothills Learning Center, cheer on participants at the Idaho Youth Wheelchair Sports Camp, serve on boards and commissions, patrol trails in the Foothills, and perform many other tasks.
“Volunteers bring a much greater value to the department beyond their ability to get work done,” said Jerry Pugh, Community Programs Coordinator. “We enjoy working alongside our volunteers and learning from them.”
New volunteer programs this year include:
- Adopt-A-Park. Ten groups signed up to help maintain parks on an on-going basis. Churches, civic organizations, local businesses and other community groups signed up for one-year commitments to help eradicate graffiti, pick up litter, fill mutt-mitt dispensers, paint site amenities, rake leaves, and mulch trees. Groups include Kiwanis clubs, a Girl Scout troop, three schools, Ada County Juvenile Court Services and TJ Maxx.
- Park Ambassador Program. Volunteers serve as liaisons between the public and Boise Parks & Recreation. They also report maintenance needs, promote proper use of parks, and share information with park users in Boise’s most popular parks.
- Boise in Bloom. Seven flower beds were adopted this year in Ann Morrison Park. Volunteers helped plant and maintain the beds throughout the summer months.
For more information about the accomplishments of Boise Parks & Recreation volunteers, please see:http://bit.ly/bprvolunteers.
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