Cuyahoga Valley National Park News Release
Friday, May 1, 2020
Pamela Barnes, 440-546-5994, 440-241-5857 (cell), or pamela_barnes@nps.gov
National Park Service honors volunteers
Cuyahoga Valley National Park volunteers win 2 regional awards
Brecksville, Ohio - Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) volunteers won 2 prestigious regional awards, chosen among nominees from over 60 parks in 13 states, for their 2019 contributions. Each year, the National Park Service honors volunteers who make exemplary contributions to its mission with the George and Helen Hartzog Awards. Winners must have been nominated by a park official. Mike Schnellinger was the winner in the Individual category, and H2O (Help 2 Others) won the Youth Group award. Normally these awards would be presented in an official ceremony, and this year winners were notified remotely.
Schnellinger was honored for his dedication to the renewal and restoration of the Cuyahoga River. Mike has long been involved in Northeast Ohio’s paddling community and he brought his experience to CVNP to help implement the first-ever Cuyahoga Valley Volunteer River Patrol program. His guidance and expertise was instrumental in achieving milestones in the park’s Strategic Action Plan, enhancing the river experience for park visitors, and played a key role in securing the designation of the Cuyahoga River Water Trail.
When asked why he volunteers for CVNP, Schnellinger said "I enjoy volunteering for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park because it combines my two favorite activities: recreation in natural surroundings and helping others do the same. Movement within nature is such a peaceful experience and paddling the river as a water trail is a great addition to hiking and biking on land trails. Sharing those experiences with others is very fulfilling. It’s the best job I’ve ever had!"
A service-learning youth group from Lakewood, Ohio, H20 has been bringing students to the park for the past eight summers to assist with invasive plant management. When Emmie Hutchinson, H2O Program Director, got the news that they had won the award, she said “The experiences that H2O volunteers have at CVNP are some of the finest examples of service learning that I can think of: hands-on, experiential learning with education, context, and reflection provided by your staff. It’s been a great partnership for us."
In 2019, 153 H2O volunteers gave 306 hours helping park staff to clear over 2 acres of invasive plants near the Lock 39 Trailhead in Valley View. Their work made way for a future access point for the Cuyahoga River Water Trail.
George Hartzog served as the director of the National Park Service (NPS) from 1964 - 1972. Director Hartzog worked on legislation creating the Volunteers-in-Parks (VIP) Program, which is a way for Americans to donate, without compensation, their time and talents to the NPS. After his retirement, George and his wife Helen gave a generous gift to the National Park Foundation, and this fund is used to support awards to recognize exemplary volunteers. The awards distinguish those individuals or groups who give beyond the normal call of duty.
Hartzog said “When a VIP agrees to share his talents, skills and interests with the National Park Service, he is paying us one of the highest compliments possible by offering a most valued possession - his time".
CVNP’s volunteer program is co-managed with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is one of the top NPS volunteer programs in the country, with 6,280 volunteers giving 179,900 hours in 2019. “We are so lucky to have such a dedicated community of volunteers," said Kevin Gross, director of volunteer services at the Conservancy. “CVNP is the special place it is today because of volunteers like Mike who contribute hundreds of volunteer hours and service-learning groups like H2O that do impactful work year after year."
About the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park is the official friends group and philanthropic partner for Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). With a mission to enrich lives and our communities by inspiring use, appreciation and support of CVNP and ensure its preservation, the Conservancy offers cultural and educational programming, operates a year-round environmental education center, co-manages the park’s volunteer program, provides venues for weddings, meetings and special events, and operates three park retail spaces.
About Cuyahoga Valley National Park
CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural resources in one setting. For more information, visit the park’s website or Facebook page, or call 440-717-3890.
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Tags: volunteer appreciation volunteer award hartzog award
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
