State Parks volunteers are the best!

In 2018, our remarkable volunteers contributed 210,000 service hours towards work in the parks. Just over 9,800 individuals contributed their time supporting the state park system by assisting with everything from cleaning campsites to trail maintenance to telling the story of the parks. They clean beaches, complete service projects, assist with special events and help the park rangers by serving as camp hosts. We have groups that adopt their local parks, as well as friends groups who work to support both their individual parks and the state park system as a whole.

Our volunteers are vital to keeping the system running and a simple thank you is not enough. Each year we recognize a few of our outstanding volunteers, and here are the awards for 2018:

Award of Excellence

Gary Formhals, Fort Casey Historical State Park

Lifetime Achievement

Herb and Jean Klein, Fort Worden State Park

Good Samaritan

Mike and Marcia Barrett, Blake Island State Park

Volunteer of the Year

Wayne Clark, Fort Casey Historical State Park

Hosts of the Year

Ross and Pam Dunfee, Sacajawea State Park

Rookie Host of the Year

Lori Cobb, Sacajawea State Park Troye Jarmuth, Fort Flagler State Park

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY HOSTS

Blaine and Becky Housden

Outstanding Contribution by a volunteer

Mark Keene, Cama Beach State park

Group of the Year Western Washington

Friends of Fort Townsend State Park

Group of the year Eastern Washington

Olmstead-Smith Historical Gardeners, Olmstead Place Historical State Park

Outstanding Contribution by a Group

Orcas Island Odd Fellows, Moran State Park

Learn more about our 2018 volunteer awards.

Camp host couple standing RV