June 21, 2012
Eastsider Tom Russ receives the Park Volunteer of the Year Award
Tom has been working to improve the Big Urban Woods; a forgotten St. Paul wooded area. He has picked up trash and removed exotic plants from the woods from many years, and has created walking trails and helped build neighborhood interest in St. Paul parks. His goal has been to create a woods park to teach, learn and grow in. The Big Urban Woods has become the focus of a huge group of volunteer and community helpers that make a great neighborhood park system.
Tom has worked with the schools in the area and the community center teaching kids about birdhouse building for the Big Urban Woods. As one of a group of volunteers, Tom helped gather supplies and repainted the nearby Duluth & Case Community Recreation Center. This center serves as a play area and sports facility for children and adults from various backgrounds.
Tom has a drive and desire to make his community safer, strong and more beautiful today and healthier for the future. His work has helped the large group of Eastside volunteers progress in these goals.
EastSider Carrie Wasley Receives the Public Service Award
Carrie Wasley received the Public Service Award from the Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County at their annual meeting, June 20 at Como Park. This award is given to an elected or appointed official who has done an outstanding job of supporting parks and trails in Ramsey County.
Carrie served as a member of the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Commission for 9 years and Chair for 7 of those years. As Commission Chair she acted as advocate for various parks and recreation system improvement in St. Paul. She is now acting Chair of the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission. She has done an outstanding job in supporting and promoting parks and trails in Ramsey County.
St. Paul Resident Chris Engelmann Honored for Volunteer Work
A resident of Macalester-Groveland since 1990 Chris was recognized by the Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County for his untiring work for the St. Paul Parks and Recreation system.
For the past 15+ years, Chris has left his imprint on the City of St. Paul’s recreation landscape with his unmatched dedication and commitment to improving the skating surfaces of facilities across the system. With Chris’ leadership and untiring devotion with numerous volunteers he has recruited, Groveland has become one of the premiers outside skating/hockey facilities in Minnesota and perhaps the country. He has also assisted in helping with rinks across the southern side of St. Paul.
Chris is truly a volunteer extraordinaire with a passion who has made a difference in the quality of life in St. Paul.
Roseville Resident Jason Etten Honored for Volunteer Work
The Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County honored Jason Etten at their annual meeting, June 20, for his volunteer for the Roseville park system.
He first became involved in his neighborhood park, Villa Park. The more involved with his neighborhood park, the more he became interested and engaged with the entire Roseville Park system. In 2009 Jason was appointed to the Roseville Parks and Recreation Commission. He was elected Vice-chair in 2012 and Commission Chair in 2011.
Jason has worked diligently on the Parks and Recreation system-wide Master Place Update in 2010. After the plan was adopted he worked with community members and the Roseville City Council to start the implementation of the Master Plan. His leadership led to the city funding the first phase of the park Master Plan. Jason has exhibited his excellence in community leadership.
Eastsider Kathy Sidles Honored for Volunteer Work
Over the past three years, Kathy has demonstrated a strong commitment in helping to maintain St. Paul’s Natural Resources. She has volunteered with numerous organizations such as the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department, Ramsey County Parks, and the Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District.
Kathy’s main focus began at Frost Lake Park as she began to rid the park of buckthorn, burdock and other invasive plants that compromise our native plants. She has also volunteered at Phalen Park and the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. Kathy’s passion has been to cleanup and beautify parks in St. Paul and Ramsey County.
