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Dear MVS Members,
I am pleased to announce that the Millbrook Village Society has been selected as the recipient of the October, 2009 - May, 2011 George and Helen Hertzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, Northeast Region, for Outstanding Volunteer Service, Group Award.
Nominations for the award were received by the Northeast Region from a number of parks in the region. The awards "honor volunteers' hard work, draw attention to their vast skills and contributions, and to stimulate development of innovative projects and volunteer involvement." Many excellent nominations were submitted to the Northeast Region for this prestigiuos award and each nominee has made significant contributions to the National Park Service, its goals and mission. National Park Service Deputy Director Mickey Fearn commented at the 2009 award ceremony that "Volunteers increase the energy of the National Park Service and allow us to continue to do what needs to be done, including all of the things that could not be done without them." This comment is especially true today.
Each Millbrook Village Society Volunteer has made a contribution to Millbrook Village, the Society, the National Park Service and the community. Every effort counts and every effort is a contribution. Whether it's picking up litter, presenting a craft or interpreting an era or way of life, minding the gift shop, building a bridge, working on an antique engine, pulling weeds or hammering iron, making phone calls, writing a newsletter, or maintaining archives, sawing wood, splitting slate, or fixing a broken step. Every piece fits together and each action is a contribution which makes things work. I congratulate and thank all of you for your contributions and dedication. We certainly have a diverse group, many talents, many skills, many opinions and many personalities, but we have a common interest which has been recognized.
The George and Helen Hertzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service were started in 1998 and is funded by a fund established by George and Helen Hertzog. George Hertzog, the Director of the National Park Service from 1964 t0 1972 established the Volunteers in Parks program (VIP) in 1970 and his work with the NPS, and after his retirement has benefitted the NPS and the volunteer community immensely.
The regional award to the Millbrook Village society will be forwarded to the Washington, DC Office to compete for the National Awards. We're in the running, so to speak, although most of us aren't running too much now-a-days. But the spirit's there!
As a note, a year or so two ago, I don't have the exact statistics, but, 196,000 VIP's volunteers provided about 5.9 million hours of volunteer hours to the NPS. We are, and have been, a part of that equasion. The numbers add up, and MVS has been a significant contribution in this formula in our region. Keep up your participation.
You're a great group of volunteers, men, women, boys and girls. Keep up the good work!
Good Job, Everyone!
Wil...
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