In celebration of National Volunteer Week (April 17-23, 2022), Boulder County volunteer managers were invited to nominate volunteers who made noteworthy contributions to their programs in 2021. A selection committee chose the following seven volunteers to be recognized and awarded $900 in funding for each of their programs. $6,300 total awarded to seven Boulder County volunteer programs.
National Volunteer Week
Leonard Sitongia: Community Planning and Permitting – Mobility for All (M4A) Technology Ambassador Program. Leonard has donated over 200 hours to the M4A program. As a program ambassador, he supports community members who want to build confidence using technology-based mobility options like Google Maps, RTD Mobile Ticketing, Transit App, and Lyft. He schedules meetings with community partners, teaches workshops, and assists older adults and people with disabilities in creating personalized mobility plans. His efforts promote equitable access to the transportation system for all users regardless of age, income, or ability.
Marlene Carvalho: District Attorney’s Office – Center for Prevention and Restorative Justice. Marlene is a Volunteer Restorative Justice Facilitator with the Diversion program. She has been involved with the program since it began in 2016. Her role is bringing together people affected by a crime, including offenders, victims, affected community members, and law enforcement to discuss the crime, who was harmed and how, and what the responsible party can do to make things right. She supports accountability and ensures positive outcomes for all involved. She also serves as a valuable mentor and trusted co-facilitator for new program staff.
Beverly Haller: Housing & Human Services Department – Independent Living Programs. As an Independent Living Navigator, Beverly supports youth and young adults who are moving out of county custody and onto their own. She fills the gap, making sure that clients are linked to resources like food, clothing, furniture, and mental health support. She even helps clients navigate job searches and college applications.
Patty Sandoval: Housing & Human Services Department – Kestrel Yoga. Patty created a low-mobility chair yoga program for residents at Kestrel, an affordable housing community in Louisville. Her program targets older adults who may have a limited range of motion. She is a skilled teacher who is warm and approachable and has created an inclusive class that is a gem in the community.
Tom Peeples: Parks & Open Space Department – Volunteer Ranger Corps. As a volunteer Ranger since 2017, Tom provides a friendly and welcoming uniformed presence on Boulder County Parks & Open Space trails. He interacts with visitors, answering questions, encouraging responsible use of open space, and addressing park regulation infractions. He shares his knowledge and passion for open space when educating visitors about natural resources, park amenities, recreational opportunities, and land management activities. Tom also helps with conservation easements, community outreach, visitor studies, natural resource monitoring, and search and rescue dog training.
Brande Charnoff: Parks & Open Space Department, Extension – Boulder County 4-H. In 2021, Brande served as president of the 4-H Adult Leader’s Advisory Council. She also led the 4-H poultry project and collaborated with 4-H staff to start a brand new 4-H Cats project. Through cat project workshops, Brande taught participants about cat care, behavior, and training. She taught them how to show their cats and teach them tricks. The program ended with a fun cat show. Brande also helped poultry project members by coaching them on bird selection, care, and showmanship, and connecting them with health and nutrition experts from CSU’s Vet School.
Ken Lenarcic: Public Works – Hazardous Materials Management (HMM) Facility. Ken has been helping the HMM Program for nearly 10 years. He is a hazardous materials expert, helping receive and sort hazardous materials at the facility, cleaning the oil and antifreeze trough, and providing Department of Transportation (DOT) training to new hires so they understand how to properly package and label drums of hazardous materials. Ken is a former Jamestown Mayor. He still works for the town board as a volunteer doing sustainability programs such as organizing the town’s annual community spring clean-up and other recycling events.Ken is a wealth of knowledge and a wonderful supporter of the HMM Program.
For more information about Boulder County’s Volunteer program, please visit www.BoulderCountyVolunteers.org. Boulder County government has a range of one-time and ongoing volunteer opportunities depending on the area of interest.