FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 24, 2004
CONTACT: Matt Mitchell, DEP, (850) 245-2501
                  Kathryn Harrington, DOI, (202) 208-6502

Winners of 2004 National Take Pride in America® Volunteer Awards Announced

--Florida volunteers recognized for outstanding contributions—

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida’s volunteers are among the winners of the 2004 Take Pride in America national awards announced today by U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Gale Norton. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Colleen M. Castille applauded the accomplishments of three Florida recipients recognized for their environmental stewardship.

“Florida’s volunteers dedicate countless hours to support the state’s environment and local economies,” said DEP Secretary Castille. “Their efforts protect vital ecosystems, educate citizens about the importance of natural Florida and promote active environmental stewardship.”

Florida’s winners include:

• Irene Delaby, Homosassa Springs, Individual - As a Florida State Park Volunteer Ambassador, Delaby contributed 25,000 hours to Florida’s award-winning park system. While working with Citizen Support Organizations, Delaby raised funds to support volunteer activities in the parks. Last year, she encouraged nearly 7,000 volunteers to contribute more than 900,000 hours to state parks by writing for print media, giving speeches, publishing the FPS Volunteer Viewpoint, training other volunteer coordinators and serving on various committees.
• Friends of Lake Louisa State Park, Clermont, Non-Profit Organization - The Friends of Lake Louisa, based in Clermont, is providing Lake Louisa State Park with top quality facilities and interpretive resources to promote public awareness about the park and surrounding ecosystems. Fourteen volunteers spent 2,500 hours creating “interpretive focal points of the park,” including a native butterfly garden, nature trail and sandhill restoration.
• Coastal Wildlife Club, Inc., Englewood, Non-Profit Organization – Focusing its efforts around Stump Pass Beach State Park in Englewood, the Coastal Wildlife Organization donated 1,344 hours to protect endangered and threatened sea turtle nests from May to October. This year, six volunteers contributed work hours equivalent to two part-time park rangers, monitoring and protecting nests and documenting turtle activities. The Coastal Wildlife Organization is one of hundreds of partner organizations that contribute volunteer support to state parks, trails and aquatic preserves managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

“The cornerstone of Take Pride is the belief that individuals need to be engaged to take responsibility for improving their community environment,” Department of Interior Secretary Norton said. “At Interior we call it ‘cooperative conservation,’ and Take Pride’s award-winning volunteers are helping to turn this philosophy into action.”

Presented annually, Take Pride in America’s national awards recognize outstanding volunteer contributions in a variety of categories. Winners announced today represent nine categories, including Corporate, Federal Land Manager and Outstanding Take Pride Partner. All award winners will be honored at a September 21 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Florida's state park system is one of the largest in the country with 158 parks covering more than 700,000 acres. Under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush, Florida added eight new facilities and more than 203,000 acres to its nationally-renowned park system. Last year, Florida's parks attracted a record-breaking 19.1 million visitors.