Seattle Parks and Recreation seeks nominations for volunteer awards

Seattle Parks and Recreation is seeking nominations for the Denny Awards, which honor extraordinary volunteer service to the city’s parks and recreation system.

The Denny Awards acknowledge and honor the crucial role volunteers play in supporting neighborhood parks, community centers and recreation programs throughout Seattle. The awards reflect the early commitment by the Denny family to the preservation of parkland and open space for public use and enjoyment.

“Volunteers are one of our most important resources in helping us reach our goals of supporting healthy people, a healthy environment, and strong communities,” said Superintendent Jesús Aguirre.

In 2015, 38,386 people volunteered for Seattle Parks and Recreation, providing 270,360 hours of service, which is a donation valued by Independent Sector at $23.07 per hour or $6.2 million dollars.

For locals wanting to nominate local volunteers, Denny Awards nominees should:

• demonstrate exceptional stewardship of parks and/or recreation;
• have given a significant commitment of time;
• provide stellar leadership by supporting SPR’s goals to extend Race and Social Justice, and support Healthy People, a Healthy Environment, and Strong Communities.

The deadline for online nominations is Thursday, October 27. Nominations can be made online.

The awards will be presented at a recognition ceremony on Tuesday, December 6, in the Brotman Forum at the Seattle Art Museum.