2021 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service

Each year nearly 300,000 volunteers across the National Park Service donate more than 6.5 million hours of service, for a value of more than $185 million. Through their extraordinary work and dedication, these volunteers make an exceptional contribution to their parks and communities.

The George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service are given annually to recognize the exemplary contributions National Park Service volunteers make to their park and to their community. George B. Hartzog, Jr. served as the Director of the National Park Service and created the Volunteers-In-Parks program in 1970. In retirement, he and his wife, Helen, established a fund to support the program and honor the efforts of volunteers.

We are pleased to congratulate the national recipients of the 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. These national award recipients’ contributions during this past year embody the spirit of service, engagement, and stewardship present throughout our national parks.

Individual Award

This award celebrates outstanding volunteer service performed by an individual in fiscal year 2021.

Duration:

1 minute, 38 seconds

Rob Albrecht-Mallinger from Indiana Dunes National Park was awarded the 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Individual Award for outstanding volunteer service of developing accessible waterways access.

Individual Hartzog Award Recipient Rob Albrecht-Mallinger.

Rob Albrecht-Mallinger, Indiana Dunes National Park

Rob Albrecht-Mallinger is a vital contributor to the Indiana Dunes National Park’s volunteer program. In 2019, the park’s volunteer office partnered with the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association to create the national park’s River Restoration Crew. For the last three years, throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Rob has led the River Restoration Crew to ensure the river is open for current users and future national park paddlers. Rob, along with other park volunteers, aims to make this river a showcase for recreational use in the region. The River Restoration Crew volunteers focus on log jam removal, trash cleanup, and creating new ADA-compliant boat launches to make the river more accessible to the public. In the 2020-2021 season, Rob was instrumental in building up his volunteer program team’s skills and abilities to be more efficient on the river. He investigated the chainsaw certification standards for the national park and worked with the Volunteer Program Manager to put on a Chainsaw certification course. Rob and his infectious, positive attitude have taken Indiana Dunes River Crew leader role to the next level.

Youth Award

This award celebrates outstanding service performed by a volunteer under 25 years of age, in fiscal year 2021.

Duration:

1 minute, 31 seconds

Sophie Schell from National Capital Parks – East was awarded the 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Youth Award for her Eagle Scout project of resorting 0.6-mile of Washington Carver Trail.

Youth Hartzog Award Recipient Sophie Schell.

Sophie Schell, National Capital Parks – East

Over the course of two days in May 2021, eighth-grader Sophie Schell, a member of Scouts BSA Troop 248, carried out her Eagle Scout project at the 0.6-mile Washington Carver Trail within National Capital Parks – East. She engaged the executive director of Ward 8 Woods Conservancy to learn more about what projects, raised over $700 for supplies, and recruited 103 volunteers. Throughout the two days, Sophie and her designated "trail fairies" guided volunteers through the various projects which included blazing the trails, repainting a bridge, painting 10 signposts, creating nine rolling grade dips, collecting more than 20 bags of trash and invasive species, clearing logs, and repairing a land bridge. Her leadership and dedication contributed to the trail in Ward 8 creating a stronger visitor experience for those trail users, as the work exhibited created improved signage, a cleaner space, and trail repairs. She hopes the project will preserve the trail for years to come and allow visitors to have a more enjoyable experience.

Group Award

This award celebrates the fiscal year 2021 accomplishments of an outstanding organized group of volunteers.

Duration:

1 minute, 38 seconds

The New York City Plover Project at Gateway National Recreation Area has involved 1200 hours of volunteer service to engage and educate park visitors of the endangered Piping Plovers. Their effort of stewardship is being celebrated with a 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Group Award for volunteering excellence.

Group Hartzog Award Recipients from Gateway National Recreation Area.

New York City Plover Project, Gateway National Recreation Area

The Gateway National Recreation Area, New York City Plover Project contributes exceptional work educating and engaging visitors about piping plovers a threatened species of tiny bird that nests on the park’s busiest beaches and helping to protect birds facing overwhelming odds. The project began in early 2021 given the immense challenge of managing the nesting areas at the park’s busiest beaches, which see hundreds of thousands of visitors each summer, Gateway volunteers responded enthusiastically. Over the summer of 2021, 50 volunteers vastly improved the National Park Service visitor experience at park beaches, donating 1200 hours, making over 7,500 visitor contacts, and launching a new beachfront visitor contact station. The project has generated significant interest, including a New York Times profile and segment on the Brian Lehrer Show. The New York City Plover Project built on this success and expanded opportunities for volunteers to be involved in resource management by defining additional position descriptions to enable volunteers to be more actively involved in stewarding park resources.

Youth Group Award

This award celebrates the outstanding 2021 contributions of an organized group of volunteers under 25 years of age.

Duration:

1 minute, 23 seconds

The Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences - Workplace Readiness Program at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park creativity and commitment to the native Hawaiian biodiversity is being applauded with a 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Youth Group Award for excellence in volunteerism..

Youth Group Hartzog Award Recipients from Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Workplace Readiness Program, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

The Hawai'i Academy of Arts and Sciences - Workplace Readiness Program youth have made a tremendous impact at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park for over a decade. Youth clear invasive species from native Hawaiian habitat to allow the native plants to thrive. Dozens of diverse developmentally disabled local youths from disadvantaged communities have helped the park clear several acres of invasive Himalayan Raspberry and Morella Faya from the native habitat. Many of the areas they have cleared are now repopulating with thriving native Hawaiian biota, in a healthy habitat. The students have developed a sense of ownership for their parks and take pride in being a part of something larger than themselves to make a positive difference for the world.

Program Award

This award celebrates an outstanding 2021 volunteer program.

Duration:

1 minute, 30 seconds

The Bighorn Brigade program has helped keep the bighorn sheep population healthy in Rocky Mountain National Park since 1989 and is recognize as the 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Program Award.

Program Hartzog Award Recipients from Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bighorn Brigade, Rocky Mountain National Park

The Bighorn Brigade has been a cross-divisional effort running in Rocky Mountain National Park since 1989. This robust volunteer program, containing upwards of forty volunteers, has consistently been one of the largest volunteer teams at the park. The Bighorn Brigade program mission is focused on volunteers helping the bighorn sheep cross highly trafficked park roads as the bighorn sheep travel down from higher elevations to reach minerals at natural salt licks. What makes this program exceptional is its endurance over time; over two decades of dedication from our volunteers has allowed this initiative to persist. This keeps our bighorn sheep population healthy and reduces the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Despite this group’s long history, it is a program that is future oriented. By facilitating a better visitor experience, the Bighorn Brigade helps to inspire compassion for the bighorn sheep. Wildlife viewing is an integral part of the visitor experience at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Enduring Service Award

This "lifetime achievement" volunteer award celebrates the contributions of an individual volunteer over many years of service.

Duration:

1 minute, 27 seconds

Judy Roderiques has enriched New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park with her services for more than 20 years! Her dedication is being honored with a 2021 George and Helen Hartzog Enduring Service Award recognizing the significant and long-term contributions she has made to the park.

Enduring Service Hartzog Award Recipient Judy Roderiques.

Judith (Judy) Roderiques, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

Judy's understanding of what it means to be a volunteer, to selflessly commit your time and passion to the mission and vision of the National Park Service, has proven her to be a leader among the park's staff and volunteers. Judy was and continues to play an instrumental role in bringing a core cadre of volunteers back to the park following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reopening of the park following the established protocols and restrictions. Judy is also part of the "Ruth and Abby: the 1850s Ladies", the park's award-winning living history program. Through her role as Abby, one of the 1850s Ladies, Judy has played a pivotal role in bringing to life, the lives of women and families in New Bedford's 1850s Maritime Community. Judy has researched, planned, and given presentations on Activism, Women's Rights, Abolitions, Food, Clothing, Children, Family Life, City Life (both positive and negative), Community, and Education. Judy has shown dedication to the park and is a vital member of the team at New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Become a volunteer:

You can make our great places better. Become a VIP and volunteer with us today!

The National Park Service offers many volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups as part of the Volunteers-In-Parks program. Work behind the scenes or on the front line in positions ranging from a one-time service project or volunteer event to a longer-term position, serving alongside park employees or with one of our many partner organizations. Opportunities are available at park locations throughout the United States, including the territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean.

Some positions require specialized talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as a background check. Other positions only require a desire and willingness to volunteer.

Find a list of available opportunities at Volunteer.gov, search for a volunteer event, or contact a national park near you.

The official logo of the Volunteers-In-Parks program.