Our High Knoll Award winners!
Each year, the Minnekhada Park Association Board and staff choose one or two outstanding volunteers to be recognized at our Volunteer Event. We have named this award our HIGH KNOLL AWARD which recognizes great people who make our organization run, they power our programs and add energy to our events. They count toadlets, monitor bats, cut invasive species and are just great stewards of the park. Here they are – you’re sure to see some of them around the park!
Pam Hirakata - 2024 Winner
Pam is one of those volunteers who is up for any task. Over the past year, she contributed her time, effort and enthusiasm in many of our projects including bat counts, toad and toadlets counts and invasive species removal -- even in the pouring rain. Thank you Pam for all your hard work!
Christine Thurlow - 2023 Winner
Chris has been coming to Minnekhada for years and is one of our most dedicated volunteers. In 2023, she logged over 32 volunteer hours helping us monitor bats, western toads, western painted turtles, and to remove invasive Scotch broom. She always comes to our events with a smile and is ready to do whatever tasks are needed to get the job done even in heavy rain... as shown in her profile photo! We could not be luckier to have such an awesome volunteer in Chris!
Giselle Bonney - 2023 Winner
Giselle has been a volunteer with MPA for many years, taking a small break as she worked on getting her Masters abroad. The moment she came back to the area she resumed volunteering with MPA and often brought along family and friends! She is one of most diverse volunteers coming to everything from outreach/educational events to animal monitoring to invasive species removals. In 2023, she logged over 33 volunteer hours! We are extremely thankful to have such a wonderful volunteer in Giselle.