Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Announces Land Stewardship Award to Honor Colorado Heros

(Denver, Colorado) – The second annual Colorado Land Stewardship Award (CLSA) will be presented at a reception in Denver’s Washington Park Thursday, October 27. Mary Burger, founder and president of Friends of the Peak in Colorado Springs will receive this year’s award. The CLSA is presented annually to an individual or group who demonstrates outstanding leadership and dedication to the preservation and enhancement of Colorado’s spectacular natural resources.

Mary Burger has spent countless hours restoring, preserving and protecting 14,110 foot Pikes Peak. Views from the summit of this national treasure inspired the pinning of America the Beautiful. While Mary’s project work on Pike’s Peak has been invaluable, her greatest contribution has been her leadership and inspiration of thousands of others to volunteer and become stewards of Colorado’s public lands.

Other finalists for this year’s award include:
• John Baker of Golden, CO, 10 year volunteer with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation
• David Hamilton of Basalt ,CO, founder and executive director of Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
• Carl Hinrich of Littleton, CO, 20 years of stewardship and leadership with many groups including Roxborough and Chatfield State Parks
• Janet Torma-Krajewski of Littleton, CO, Founder and president of Two Ponds Preservation Foundation

The award presentation reception will be held at the offices of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, 600 S Marion Parkway, Denver, CO 80209 at 5:30 pm, Thursday, October 27. Opening remarks will be provided by former Governor Richard Lamm. Call Jerry Severns at 303-715-1010, ext 15 for more information and media credentials.

About VOC
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to motivate and enable citizens to be active stewards of Colorado’s public lands. Founded in 1984, VOC has engaged over 45,000 volunteers in the completion of 220 trail and habitat projects. Work to date is valued at more than $11 million. Every year, VOC recruits and mobilizes volunteers to undertake 15 or more high-priority projects in Colorado’s magnificent parks, trails and open spaces. Projects range in size from 15 to 1,000 volunteers and include building and maintaining trails, planting and restoring habitat, and removing invasive plants.

For more information about Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, and how to get involved in caring for Colorado, please visit www.voc.org or call 303-715-1010.