Meet the latest recipients of the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards – sponsored by the Southwest and Delridge District Councils and WSB – honored last night during intermission at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park (concert coverage here). On behalf of the councils, Cindi Barker from the Morgan Community Association (which meets tonight!) presented the awards, along with a summary of why the winners had been nominated – read on for individual photos and Cindi’s summaries of their volunteer achievements (and P.S., watch WSB for word of the next nomination cycle this fall!):

That’s Dennis Ross, the Community/Organization winner:

Dennis has been active in the Admiral Community for many years and in many different efforts. He worked with a group of community activists to create the Admiral Neighborhood Plan more than 10 years ago. He constantly promotes public safety with grant funding requests and applications to the City’s Parks & Recreation and Transportation departments and has implemented successful outcomes over the course of many years and many annual funding requests. He has represented Admiral and West Seattle in many forums such as the Southwest District Council, the Citywide Neighborhood Council and at Design Reviews. He has a lot of insight and background of the Admiral area and shares those at community and city meetings. It truly is difficult to categorize all the positive benefits he has spearheaded over the years.

That’s Ronda and Arthea Barber, Youth volunteer-work category winners:

(They) are mother and Daughter volunteers at Highland Park Elementary School . For the past 7 years. These two women have provided endless hours of their time helping teachers and students at Highland Park Elementary. They have been key figures in the organization of our Balanced Literacy library and support for grade-level teams. These ladies counted all of the 1,000 dollars in change that was collected for the Help Haiti drive, counted all the “box tops for education” for submission, they both volunteer every Friday to run the popcorn machine for the students and they do events like field day, the bazaar, and many other activities. They have also created student materials and they have taken on the additional responsibility of tutoring a struggling first grader. This year Arthea went in for back surgery and the first phone call she made was to the school to check on the kids and how they were doing. They may be behind the scenes, but the love and support they offer West Seattle is priceless!

That’s Scott Blackstock, the Environmental volunteer-work category winner:

Scott has been an original volunteer with the Friends of Roxhill Bog and has worked for the past ten years to recreate habitat at the headwaters of Longfellow Creek in Roxhill Park. He got involved when the construction activity started in the park, and even though it was not something he had done before, he was so interested and enthused and excited about this big “science experiment” that he left his personal comfort zone and dove right in. Not only did he help with the transformation of turf fields into diverse native habitat, he studied those habitats and plant communities, genus and species until he became a Native Plant Steward for the Washington Native Plant Society. Scott is the hands-on caretaker of Roxhill Park . He leads educational tours, directs monthly volunteer groups for weed pulling work parties, educates children and adults about the benefits of this improved habitat, coordinates maintenance with Seattle Parks Department, picks up trash, and generally keeps an eye and ear out for this great community asset. Thanks to his stewardship, we can enjoy this beautiful park and the inhabitants – human and not – who have returned.

And Tammy Lyle and Teri Ensley accepted the Group award for Furry Faces Foundation:

None of us can imagine giving up our beloved pet because we can’t afford to care for him/her. . For some people, the only companionship they have is their pet. The Furry Faces Foundation provides support for people who may need assistance to care for their companion animals, and in doing so, provides the community a vehicle for compassionate social assistance as well. F-cubers also act as a clearing house for good and services that can assist owners in need, something that isn’t well known about them. For the past 10 years the F-cubers have raised money with many creative activities that are leaving their mark in West Seattle as they work for their cause. You can buy plants at espresso shops, gamble for a good cause at Catsino night and have the motto “it’s hip to get snipped” running through your mind. Furry Faces Foundation might say it best in their own words, the Foundation is an animal loving, social group of folks whose motto is ‘having fun…while raising money for animals.’

The nominations were reviewed, and winners chosen, by a group of, fittingly, volunteers – reps from the co-sponsoring Southwest and Delridge District Councils. The fall awards will be presented again this year at the West Seattle Junction Tree Lighting event in December, and we’ll let you know when the nomination period opens up in the fall!