The City of Hilliard has many dedicated volunteers who assist with various programs, events, and clean-ups. It is important that we recognize the lasting impacts of these volunteers during National Volunteer Week.
The Adopt-A-Park program is one of the City’s most significant volunteer opportunities. Through this program, individuals, local businesses, and community groups take an active role in the beautification and maintenance of our community’s parks. Volunteers assist with basic year-round mulching, weeding, small-scale gardening, painting and other activities. The program started with the City’s largest park being adopted by BMW Financial Services in April 2015. The staff at BMW continues to clean and “spruce up” Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park to this day – usually four times a year.
Another driving force of the Adopt-a-Park program is local resident Cathy Leedy who was named “Volunteer of the Year” in 2019. Cathy started a special effort called “IBG: Invasives- BE GONE!” Through this initiative, over 50 volunteers have helped to restore the Scioto Run Nature Trail Park. Hundreds of seedlings and saplings of native trees and bushes were planted in the spring of 2019. Cathy is motivated to continue the efforts to remove all 11.5 acres of Honeysuckle from the park and inspire others to join her efforts.
The volunteers with the Hilliard Citizen’s Police/Fire Academy are another significant volunteer group that service the City of Hilliard.
These folks assist our first responders in so many ways, including handing out programs at the Hilliard memorial ceremonies, serving as personal shoppers at Shop With A Cop, pouring punch at promotion and retirement ceremonies, fingerprinting kids at the EZ Child ID registrations, donning the Leo the Lion mascot, and just being an extra pair of hands at Safety Town or ongoing CPA classes
Their work ethic and generosity is what led them to being named the National Citizen’s Police Academy of the Year in 2019.
The Hilliard Senior Center also has many volunteers who help run the center’s day-to-day activities by assisting with tasks such as answering phones, registering for classes, and preparing for the popular senior lunches.
Without the Senior Center volunteers, staff wouldn’t be able to offer nearly as many programs, trips, seminars, and meals. These volunteers make the center run and help us do our jobs!
Many volunteers have been helping the center for years, including member Marilyn Patton, who has been volunteering for 26 years!
Volunteers put in a lot of hard work and time that enhances our community. They improve today for tomorrow and we’re thankful for all that they do for the City of Hilliard.
