OLYMPIA — Volunteers in Fort Flagler and Fort Worden state parks swept the state Parks and Recreation Commission’s awards for 2010, gaining 10 out of 18 of the special recognition for service.
The commission announced the 2010 Volunteer Recognition Awards for outstanding volunteer service last week.
The lifetime achievement award went to Don and Karen Kohlenberg of Ragley, La, who have served 13 years as camp hosts at Fort Flagler State Park, traveling each between Louisiana and Washington state.
As a museum and gift shop host, Karen She rekindled a portion of the Junior Ranger Program by creating several activity sheets that engaged youngsters with museum displays.
Don built gift displays, merchandising hangers, and created a unique display for “fly-through” window magnets and reusable Plexiglas Junior Ranger Activity boards.
The rookie of the year award went to Bill and BJ Sprague of Milton, who stopped in at Fort Flagler to discuss having a rally for their recreational vehicle club and then signed up for two months of hosting.
The couple developed a spreadsheet to track occupied sites during the non-reservation season, and Bill Sprague created a display to show campers how to properly fill out the fee envelope.
He also constructed a bike trailer for tools and designed and constructed recycle stations for the campground.
Carla Main of Port Townsend received the Significant Volunteer Achievement award for organizing a tribal canoe event at Fort Worden State Park.
The park is the only non-tribal landing spot along the annual Tribal Canoe Journey.
Main also facilitated an exclusive beach use activity that involved 40 hand-carved, one-ton cedar canoes and an overnight encampment on one-half of the parade ground designated as a National Historic Landmark, during an already sold-out summer at the park.
Graham Frost of Port Townsend, a member of Scout Troop 1564, won the Significant Volunteer Achievement award for youth for completing a scouting project by establishing interpretation for Battery Brannon, one of the mortar batteries at Fort Worden State Park.
He directed the removal of 13 truckloads of scotch broom and other vegetation as well as five truckloads of dirt and debris from the battery site.
During the removal, he observed salvaged old pieces of metal, which turned out to be pieces of the mortar carriages.
The mortar pieces will be on display at the Coast Artillery Museum.
Frost now is researching the mortar pieces so he can develop an interpretive sign for visitors at that location.
Dennis and Sandra Haven of Livingston, Texas, were awarded special mention for creating a dedicated In-Room Guest Guide for Fort Worden State Park’s vacation houses.
With a grant from the Friends of Fort Worden, the Havens outlined the project and performed the production and publishing tasks.
The final result is an informative full-color, 48-page guide for Fort Worden State Park guest houses.
Bob and MaryBelle Brown of Nordland received the Award of Excellence for their continued service to Fort Flagler State Park.
They began their volunteer service in 1997 when they organized and conducted the fort’s centennial celebration.
A few months later, the Browns organized volunteers to form one of the first Washington State Parks friends groups.
Over the past 13 years, the Browns have donated thousands of dollars of their own money and solicited thousands more in donations.
Michael “Moh” O’Hanlon of Port Townsend received the award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual for his continued service at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center at Fort Worden State Park, volunteering more than 4,000 hours.
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center received the award for Outstanding Contribution by a Group.
The marine science center has been the major force in providing education about Fort Worden’s marine and coastal habitat for more than 25 years, the commission said.
Since 2005, this group has volunteered nearly 50,000 hours.
Friends of Fort Flagler received the award for Significant Volunteer Achievement – Group.
The Friends of Fort Flagler officially formed in 1999 from a nucleus of people involved in the centennial celebration at Fort Flagler.
The historic military hospital became a focal point.
Every Wednesday for two years, a small core group worked diligently at returning the hospital to its former glory.
For the Friends 10th anniversary, they held an open house at the hospital to show their progress, which included displays of previous and present conditions.
ACCESS Service Team of Port Townsend received the Special Mention-Group award for providing an inclusive and accessible environment at Fort Worden State Park for patrons and participants with disabilities.
Lead by Lois Frisch and Trudy Rosenberg, the ACCESS team includes about 20 volunteers trained to provide services for patrons with disabilities.
The ACCESS Service Team is a volunteer unit of the Centrum Foundation.