(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) The award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation

On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve.” - President BidenAPOPKA, FL, UNITED STATES, July 3, 2023/einpresswire.com / -- Five volunteers at Wekiwa Springs State Park have received national recognition for their volunteer service.

Four have received the President's Volunteer Service Award's Gold Medal and the fifth has been honored with the President's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Debbie LaFreniere, Joanne Boleman, Nancy Geffner, and Patty Geuder are all recipients of the Gold Medal“in recognition and appreciation for their commitment to strengthening our nation and communities through volunteer service. The award includes the Gold Medal, a certificate, and a letter from President Biden.

All four recipients are long-standing volunteers at the park's small nature center and members of the Wekiva Wilderness Trust, the nonprofit, volunteer organization that supports the work of the Wekiva River Basin State Parks (Wekiwa Springs, Lower Wekiva River Preserve, and Rock Springs Run State Reserve). The nature center attracts more than 300,000 visitors a year from around the world.

The fifth volunteer, Don Philpott, President of the Trust, received the President's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of 30,000 hours of volunteer service with Florida's state parks over 27 years. He is an emeritus board member of the Florida State Parks Foundation and a founding member of the National Association of State Park Foundations.

The President wrote“On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to you for your volunteer leadership, and I encourage you to continue to answer the call to serve. The country is counting on you.”

The awards have been made since 2003 when the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation was founded and have continued under each new administration. The award honors individuals whose service“positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too”. The program is administered by AmeriCorps and Points of Light.

Don Philpott
Wekiva Wilderness Trust

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