Big Bend National Park Awards Presentation

On March 31, 2008, Big Bend National Park rolled out the red carpet for their forty-eight spring 2008 volunteers. Superintendent Bill Wellman presented the Presidential Take Pride in America Award to Sally Jones. Sally and her husband Bob have volunteered for six years at Big Bend National Park at the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, as well as Guadeloupe National Park.

The evening's events culminated with the celebration of sixteen years of service by Barbara and Bill Baldwin. The Baldwins have held down the fort at Rio Grande Village Campground every year from October 1-April 30th since 1992 and this is going to be their last season at Big Bend as campground hosts. Many kind words were spoken about their willingness to assist with just about anything that has come up at Rio Grande Village and on the river over the years, and how much they will be missed.

A total of six Presidential Volunteer Service Silver Awards, twelve Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award, five Take Pride Bronze Awards, and one Presidential Volunteer Service Award were presented. Four of our Big Bend volunteers are previous recipients of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

This represents an impressive 90,576 cumulative hours for the volunteers at Big Bend this spring. What a group!