Monmouth officials thank volunteers in park system

COLTS NECK - The contribution of 141 volunteers to open space, parks and recreation in Monmouth County was celebrated at a luncheon recently at the Hominy Hill Golf Center.

Planting flower beds, removing invasive plant species and assisting with therapeutic horseback riding lessons are a few of the ways these individuals contributed to the Monmouth County Park System's Volunteer in Parks program (VIP) in 2006, according to a press release from the county.

Monmouth County freeholders Lillian G. Burry and Barbara J. McMorrow joined the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners on March 11 in thanking 141 volunteers who gave more than 40 hours of service to the park system in 2006.

Burry opened the program by recognizing that the volunteers "lend the Monmouth County Park System a hand, touch our lives and inspire us to create a better quality of life for people of all ages and walks of life."

Burry and Ed Loud, chairman of the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners, thanked each of the volunteers as they accepted their recognition certificate and praise. Burry concluded her remarks by thanking the volunteers for their "dedication to our beautiful parks and to the many visitors that are fortunate to spend some time there."

Catherine Barry of Deal reached a record-setting 3,000 hours of cumulative volunteer time given to the park system that began in 1989. Volunteers who reached the 2,000-hour milestone for volunteer hours were Louise DelCollo of Colts Neck, James Henry of Middletown and Doris Tierney of Eatontown. Krystal Roccaro reached the 1,000-hour mark.

During the event, volunteers and park system staff recalled some of the exciting and fun times they had while teaching "Garden Sprouts" classes, planting dune grass and handing out cups of water at race events.

The Volunteer in Parks program is an umbrella under which 1,033 individuals donated 22,689 hours of their time to help the park system in 2006, according to the press release. Volunteer experiences ranged from acting in summer theater, building boardwalks on trails, guiding groups of visitors at historic sites and assisting with programs for individuals with disabilities.

Scout groups and service club members turned out en masse to help with dune habitat restoration at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park in Long Branch. Park rangers worked alongside 216 volunteers who gave 1,134 hours of their time to maintain trails in 2006. Volunteers led 55 bus trips to sporting and cultural events.

Members of Monmouth County's Master Gardener program worked hard to help keep gardens blooming at Deep Cut Gardens, Thompson Park and Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook.

Area residents who gave more than 40 hours of service in 2006 were:

+ Colts Neck - Kate Barron, Louise Del Collo, Jennifer Tendler.

+ Farmingdale - Jessica Adametz.

+ Freehold - Arthur Dietrich, Linda Jensen, Karen Martin, Patrice McCoy, David Roche, Leslie Roche, Mary Stacey, Christian Stacey, Kevin Walsh, Tamra Wroblesky.

+ Howell - Kirk Bixby, Raymond Dademo, Kirsten Dademo, Jason Reilly, Sean Stever, Sandra Wolfe.

+ Jackson - Beverly Anthony.

+ Lakewood - Ralph Maratea.

+ Manalapan - Justine Giannino, Helene Schroeder, Matthew Utnick, Lyndsay Williams.

+ Marlboro - Hayley Radin, Drew Nathanson.

To find out how to become a volunteer with the Monmouth County Park System, contact Susan Walsh at (732) 842-4000, ext. 4283.