National Volunteer Recognition Week: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Announces 2007 Garden Steward Volunteer Awards For Pittsburgh, Rankin, Johnstown and Indiana Communities

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  April 11, 2007).  Across the nation from April 15-21, National Volunteer Recognition Week recognizes people donating their time and expertise to make their community a better place in which to live and work.  This year, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) is recognizing the special achievements of individuals and organizations who have volunteered with the Conservancy’s Community Gardens and Greenspace program in the City of Pittsburgh, Rankin, Johnstown and Indiana, Pa.

During the past 20 years, the Conservancy estimates that more than 50,000 people have volunteered with WPC’s community flower gardens.  The program helps communities dramatically improve their local landscape and provides a model for community cooperation that encourages local residents and neighboring businesses to invest in environmental quality. Judy Wagner, WPC Senior Director of Community Gardens and Greenspace says, “WPC’s community garden program provides technical assistance, design, plants, tools, volunteer support and logistical help for 140 garden sites in 19 western Pennsylvania counties.  All of these sites are planted and cared for by volunteers, a remarkable expression of community concern by all of the local participants.” 

The WPC 2007 Garden Steward Award winners are:

Lynn Glorieux, garden steward of the Canal and Cedar Streets garden on the North Side of Pittsburgh.  Glorieux receives the “Outstanding Service Award” for long service and extraordinary dedication to quality of the garden site, a show-stopper at the entrance to the North Side near the swimming pool on Cedar Street.

Mary Savage, garden steward of the garden located at the intersection of Homewood, Frankstown and Bennett Streets in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh.  Savage receives the “Outstanding Service Award” because she not only maintains the large garden supported by the Conservancy but has also initiated and launched several other community greening sites, truly an example of “seeding” positive change in the community.  WPC’s Judy Wagner calls Mary Savage “an inspiration for her work introducing young people to hands-on care for the environment right in their own neighborhood.”

Ron Gaydos, Vice President of Development, Economic Development and Community Relations at Heritage Health Foundation, received the “Community Investment” award on behalf of the Heritage Health Foundation and the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rankin.  The Foundation stepped up to take over the garden in Rankin and revitalized its community involvement.  The Immanuel Lutheran Church youth group performs all of the summer care for the garden.  Gaydos also recognizes and thanks both Woodland Hills East and West Junior High Schools for partnering on the garden.  Responsible for one of the largest sites, the Foundation and its partners are working with neighbors, youth and friends to plant and maintain the dramatic gardens at the Rankin Bridge. 

Barry Gallagher and the Johnstown Kiwanis received the “Green Inspiration Award” for gardens located at Bedford Street and the Johnstown Expressway off ramp in Johnstown, Pa.  This group created a garden “so inspiring to the community that we received a request for a second garden in Johnstown.    The Kiwanis recruited the Amalgamated Transit Union to be additional caretakers for the new site, creating a striking double greenspace at this important entryway to the city,” notes WPC’s Judy Wagner.  The garden has also been supported by the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies for 2007. 

Fred Yun receives the “Community Initiative Award” for the community garden located at Route 286 and Indian Spring Road in Indiana, Pa.  Yun is recognized for his personal commitment for sharing his love of gardening to help start a special garden for cancer patients at a local hospital.  “Special people like Fred share the gift of greenspace and nature in creative ways that enrich a community,” says Judy Wagner of the Conservancy.

Each year, more than 4,000 volunteers donate in excess of 20,000 hours to plant and tend to WPC’s 140 community gardens in 19 counties.  Half of the volunteers are children and youth.  All of the volunteers plant more than 250,000 flowers—enough to make a flowerbed from Pittsburgh to the West Virginia border.   The result is that more than three million people per day see and enjoy the results of this outstanding volunteer work.  The garden plantings also offer an opportunity for cross-generational sharing of an outdoor experience that teaches youth about plants and the earth. 

For more information about volunteering or sponsoring one of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s community gardens, call 412-586-2390 or 1-866-564-6972 (toll free) or visit the WPC website at www.paconserve.org.

# # #

HIGH RESOLUTION JPEG PHOTOGRAPHS OF WPC’S
COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
Since its founding 75 years ago in 1932, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected more than 212,000 acres of natural lands in Pennsylvania, restored watersheds and saved natural habitats for a diversity of life and uses.  Since 1963, WPC preserves Fallingwater®, the masterpiece home designed in 1935 by Frank Lloyd Wright for Edgar J. Kaufmann in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.   As a symbol of living in harmony with nature, Fallingwater offers a wide variety of educational programs to its more than 135,000 annual visitors.  Each year, WPC partners with 5,000 volunteers and dozens of community organizations and businesses to plant and maintain 135 gardens and greening projects in 20 western Pennsylvania counties.