Volunteers who take part in the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Land Resources Volunteer Program are a valuable resource. In fact, three groups who were honored for their voluntary efforts during last week’s Governing Board meeting in Brooksville saved the District between
$50,440 and $91,044.
According to the Points of Light Foundation, a nationwide volunteer network clearing house, volunteers save the District between $10 and $18 an hour in labor costs for each hour they work.
The Florida Trail Association, Withlapopka Community Volunteers and the West Central Florida Council of the Boys Scouts of America completed a combined total of 5,044 hours.
The groups were presented with the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor that recognizes volunteer dedication and signifies that each volunteer has served the community and country with distinction.
- The West Central Florida Council of the Boys Scouts of America accumulated 1,055 volunteer hours. Six individuals make up this volunteer group that began its relationship with the District more than seven years ago when the group held a Boy Scout Camporee at the Green Swamp West property. The group learned about an old cabin in a remote area of the property near the Withacoochee River. The cabin was acquired with the land purchase and has historical value. Because its remote location made it vulnerable to fire, destruction and vandalism, the Boy Scout group offered to maintain it in exchange for its use during camping events. The group improved the cabin’s plumbing, electric and exterior to make it useable. The group also maintains the cabin and grounds by cutting, trimming, and mowing vegetation. The site is now referred to as the Big Foot Wilderness Camp and is available for public use.
- The Withlapopka Community Volunteers is a group of about 30 residents who live near the District’s Flying Eagle property in Citrus County. The group accumulated 1,285 hours by helping District staff create and maintain the Withlapopka Nature Park on a portion of the Flying Eagle property. Volunteer efforts include picking up trash and clearing away debris and brush, as well as installing picnic tables, grills, and trash cans. The group also helped create a park trail network by selecting an appropriate trail and erecting trail markers on the trail.
- The Florida Trail Association is made up of about 42 volunteers that have been working with the District since the early 1980s to develop and maintain quality hiking trails on several District properties. The group, which is primarily responsible for developing the Florida National Scenic Trail, was behind the designation of 34 miles of National Scenic Trail through District lands in the Green Swamp. The group is being recognized for the 2,704 volunteer hours spent maintaining hiking trails in the Green Swamp, Upper Hillsborough and Potts Preserve properties.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is awarded through the “Take Pride in Florida/Take Pride in America” program. Each volunteer or group received a congratulatory letter from President George W. Bush, a congratulatory letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participants, a formal award certificate and a commemorative pin.