2014 NAVPLG Award Winners

Leigh Britt

Award of Merit - City of Tyler, Texas
The City of Tyler’s Volunteer Tyler program encourages East Texas residents to participate in their municipal government. Over 220 adults and youth volunteers ages 12-94 currently participate in one of 21 departments and facilities throughout the City of Tyler. These include but are not limited to:

Crime Scene Investigation,
Accessible Parking Enforcement,
Tyler Pounds Airport,
Goodman Museum,
Rose Garden Center,
Senior Center,
Liberty Hall,
Tyler Public Library,
Communications Department,
Parks and Recreation,
Gallery Main Street,
Vehicle Services,
Tyler Municipal Court,
GIS, and
Planning.

Volunteer opportunities range from performing clerical work to assisting at special events. The Volunteer Tyler program has increased its participation by 27% since 2009. The program continually offers citizens an opportunity to become involved in municipal government within a multitude of departments. The amount of positive feedback from the volunteers and department liaisons prove that volunteers are a great asset to the City of Tyler.

Innovative Program Award: Gilbert, Arizona Fire & Rescue – Community Assistance Program.
The Community Assistance Program was established by Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department. This team of credentialed volunteers participates in an extensive 65 hour training program which prepares them to respond and work in partnership with on-scene fire department units. The volunteers in this program are dispatched through 911 with auto response in coordination with fire and police apparatuses to working structure fires, drowning calls, and major medical calls as a result of vehicle rollovers, violent incidents, mass casualties, and cardiac arrests. This program is dispatched in real time which leads to a quick response by the volunteers to provide a wide range of services for the community such as the following.

Support stranded motorists. Volunteers in this program excel in providing exceptional customer service when an individual is stranded roadside. These volunteers will change the customer’s flat tire or provide a vehicle battery jumpstart.
Administer basic emergency medical services as needed. This team of volunteers is CPR certified. When they are first on scene, they administer CPR in those first few critical moments which aids in saving a life. In addition, they are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or First Aid certified and are able to assist first responders by administering aid during large emergency medical scenes.
Reduce causalities from household fires through installation of smoke detectors and batteries for residents.
Conduct car seat installations to ensure each child is safely secured in their family vehicle.

The time, energy and expertise these volunteers share with the department and community increases the availability of the department fire crews/first responders to be in service for the next emergency call. One reason why the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department is best in class is their Community Assistance Program and the exceptional customer service volunteers provide to internal and external customers. Their selfless acts are what make the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department great.

Outstanding New Volunteer Administrator: Anthony Richardson, Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, Jurupa Valley, CA
Anthony Richardson is the Volunteer Services Manager for Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. Coming to the District after a decade of experience managing volunteers in not-for-profit settings and a brief stint with Riverside County Fire Department, Anthony’s exuberance and passion for what he does is truly inspirational and has injected new life into volunteerism county-wide. When first brought on as part of the management team, Anthony conducted an in-depth analysis of the needs of all three divisions within the District: Business Operations, Parks & Recreation, and Interpretive. He then utilized that analysis to develop new volunteer positions, and used innovative methods to recruit for those positions.

Examples include the development of a partnership with a local veterinary school to provide care for animals housed at District Interpretive sites through the use of student volunteers, and the development of a “Party Patrol” volunteer program at District waterparks.
A creative thinker, Anthony was instrumental in developing a mutually beneficial partnership with the Greater Avenues for Independence Program to provide workforce development training while addressing District staffing shortfalls. The program places out-of-work individuals from the community in volunteer positions throughout the District where they are able to gain much needed job skills through performing tasks that were not funded.

Through his development of these diverse opportunities, volunteer hours and retention have grown significantly for the District, increasing from 78,000 in FY11-12 to 128,000 in FY12-13. Current estimates show participation in the volunteer program is expected to have increased even further in FY13-14.

Excellence in Volunteer Management Award: Kathy Halstead, O’Fallon, Missouri
Kathy Halstead was hired to create the City of O’Fallon’s Volunteer Services Department in October of 2000. She placed her first volunteer in that same month. Now, fourteen years later, thanks to her tenacity, dedication, and tireless efforts, Kathy has grown the Volunteer Services Department from one volunteer to 2,500 annually and 23,000 since the program's inception.

During her tenure, Ms. Halstead has initiated

three annual Community Blood Drives,
the Cornucopia of Care Food Drive
the Support Our Troops Supply Drive,
Random Acts of Kindness,
O’Fallon’s Earth Day,
National Youth Service Day,
National Join Hands Day,
National Make a Difference Day,
National Family Volunteer Week,
National Volunteer Week and
the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

She also oversees the planning, development and implementation of volunteer support for city departments, programs, and more than 70 events a year sponsored by O’Fallon. She regularly mentors her employees, as well as volunteers who wish to learn more about the profession. She also provides valuable insight, feedback and support to area volunteer management professionals for which she is regarded as one of the top Volunteer Professionals in the state.

From left to right: Kathy Halstead, Yolanda Prince accepting for Tyler Texas, Anthony Richardson, Kim Yolanda accepting for Gilbert, AZ Fire amd Rescue.


2014 NAVPLG Award Winners Leigh Britt Award of Merit - City of Tyler, Texas The City of Tyler’s Volunteer Tyler program encourages East Texas residents to participate in their municipal government. Over 220 adults and youth volunteers ages 12-94 currently participate in one of 21 departments and facilities throughout the City of Tyler. These include but are not limited to: Crime Scene Investigation, Accessible Parking Enforcement, Tyler Pounds Airport, Goodman Museum, Rose Garden Center, Senior Center, Liberty Hall, Tyler Public Library, Communications Department, Parks and Recreation, Gallery Main Street, Vehicle Services, Tyler Municipal Court, GIS, and Planning. Volunteer opportunities range from performing clerical work to assisting at special events. The Volunteer Tyler program has increased its participation by 27% since 2009. The program continually offers citizens an opportunity to become involved in municipal government within a multitude of departments. The amount of positive feedback from the volunteers and department liaisons prove that volunteers are a great asset to the City of Tyler. Innovative Program Award: Gilbert, Arizona Fire & Rescue – Community Assistance Program. The Community Assistance Program was established by Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department. This team of credentialed volunteers participates in an extensive 65 hour training program which prepares them to respond and work in partnership with on-scene fire department units. The volunteers in this program are dispatched through 911 with auto response in coordination with fire and police apparatuses to working structure fires, drowning calls, and major medical calls as a result of vehicle rollovers, violent incidents, mass casualties, and cardiac arrests. This program is dispatched in real time which leads to a quick response by the volunteers to provide a wide range of services for the community such as the following. Support stranded motorists. Volunteers in this program excel in providing exceptional customer service when an individual is stranded roadside. These volunteers will change the customer’s flat tire or provide a vehicle battery jumpstart. Administer basic emergency medical services as needed. This team of volunteers is CPR certified. When they are first on scene, they administer CPR in those first few critical moments which aids in saving a life. In addition, they are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or First Aid certified and are able to assist first responders by administering aid during large emergency medical scenes. Reduce causalities from household fires through installation of smoke detectors and batteries for residents. Conduct car seat installations to ensure each child is safely secured in their family vehicle. The time, energy and expertise these volunteers share with the department and community increases the availability of the department fire crews/first responders to be in service for the next emergency call. One reason why the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department is best in class is their Community Assistance Program and the exceptional customer service volunteers provide to internal and external customers. Their selfless acts are what make the Gilbert Fire & Rescue Department great. Outstanding New Volunteer Administrator: Anthony Richardson, Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District, Jurupa Valley, CA Anthony Richardson is the Volunteer Services Manager for Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. Coming to the District after a decade of experience managing volunteers in not-for-profit settings and a brief stint with Riverside County Fire Department, Anthony’s exuberance and passion for what he does is truly inspirational and has injected new life into volunteerism county-wide. When first brought on as part of the management team, Anthony conducted an in-depth analysis of the needs of all three divisions within the District: Business Operations, Parks & Recreation, and Interpretive. He then utilized that analysis to develop new volunteer positions, and used innovative methods to recruit for those positions. Examples include the development of a partnership with a local veterinary school to provide care for animals housed at District Interpretive sites through the use of student volunteers, and the development of a “Party Patrol” volunteer program at District waterparks. A creative thinker, Anthony was instrumental in developing a mutually beneficial partnership with the Greater Avenues for Independence Program to provide workforce development training while addressing District staffing shortfalls. The program places out-of-work individuals from the community in volunteer positions throughout the District where they are able to gain much needed job skills through performing tasks that were not funded. Through his development of these diverse opportunities, volunteer hours and retention have grown significantly for the District, increasing from 78,000 in FY11-12 to 128,000 in FY12-13. Current estimates show participation in the volunteer program is expected to have increased even further in FY13-14. Excellence in Volunteer Management Award: Kathy Halstead, O’Fallon, Missouri Kathy Halstead was hired to create the City of O’Fallon’s Volunteer Services Department in October of 2000. She placed her first volunteer in that same month. Now, fourteen years later, thanks to her tenacity, dedication, and tireless efforts, Kathy has grown the Volunteer Services Department from one volunteer to 2,500 annually and 23,000 since the program's inception. During her tenure, Ms. Halstead has initiated three annual Community Blood Drives, the Cornucopia of Care Food Drive the Support Our Troops Supply Drive, Random Acts of Kindness, O’Fallon’s Earth Day, National Youth Service Day, National Join Hands Day, National Make a Difference Day, National Family Volunteer Week, National Volunteer Week and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. She also oversees the planning, development and implementation of volunteer support for city departments, programs, and more than 70 events a year sponsored by O’Fallon. She regularly mentors her employees, as well as volunteers who wish to learn more about the profession. She also provides valuable insight, feedback and support to area volunteer management professionals for which she is regarded as one of the top Volunteer Professionals in the state. From left to right: Kathy Halstead, Yolanda Prince accepting for Tyler Texas, Anthony Richardson, Kim Yolanda accepting for Gilbert, AZ Fire amd Rescue.
NAVPLG2014 - summer 2014