Elizabeth Andrews, Welsh suffragette, said it best, “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” That’s why the Santa Clara Valley Water District decided to take the time and recognize its creek cleanup volunteers at the 2nd Annual Volunteer Recognition event.
The district hosted the recognition event on Monday, Dec. 3 at district headquarters. Volunteers who attended enjoyed appetizers and live music before the awards ceremony. Seven awards were presented to groups and individuals for their overall volunteer leadership and commitment.
Award recipients received a special gift bag, an award molded from 100 percent post-consumer recycled glass and a certificate signed by the board director representing the home district for each awardee, as a token of appreciation. The individuals and groups recognized included:
- Christopher High School – Beautification Campus Clean-up Club (BC3) (District 1)
- Girl Scouts Troop 60510 – Bhawana Kamil (District 2)
- City of Milpitas – Leslie Stobbe (District 3)
- West Valley Clean Water Program Authority (District 4)
- City of Cupertino (District 5)
- Star Fellowship – William Fritz (District 6)
- City of Mountain View – Fire Department (District 7)
The recipients were selected by the water district board for their outstanding performance and ability to take on leadership roles in various creek cleanup events throughout the year. These community leaders motivated and inspired volunteers who continue to spread a positive message, show appreciation of other volunteers and carry out the district’s mission through their ongoing support. Some of the recipients continue to participate in our year-round Adopt-A-Creek Program.
This year, volunteers generously gave 17,175 hours of their time, which translates to nearly $500,000 in volunteer time value. Volunteers also helped remove 104,161 pounds of trash and helped clean 291 miles of creeks in our county. That’s more than the weight of two Statues of Liberty and longer than 170 Golden Gate bridges!
The district appreciates all its volunteers and sends a heartfelt thank you to each and every single volunteer that has committed and continues to commit their time and energy to help groom our creeks and make all our cleanup programs a huge success. Thank you.
For more information on how to volunteer with the district, email volunteer@valleywater.org.
Valley Water News 