BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
For release: August 27, 2014
Contact:
Katherine Fuller, Yaquina Vol. Coord.
541-574-3143
Trish Hogervorst, Public Affairs, 503-375-5657
Yaquina Head Volunteers Receive
President’s Gold Service Award
Newport, Ore. – Ten Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area volunteers were recently presented the
President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award. The award encourages United States citizens, or lawfully
admitted permanent residents, to live a life of service. The President’s Council on Service and Civic
Participation was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our
communities.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, and the Friends of
Yaquina Lighthouses, recognized the efforts of Harry Olund (2,258 hours), Richard and Linda Crooks
(2,050 hours each), Fae Kelley (1,907 hours), Bill and Betty Jones (1,809 hours each), Rebecca Field
(1,617 hours), Tom Quayle (1,509 hours), Doug Purcell (883 hours) and Chris Burns (836 hours).
“Many of these individuals have given their time to Yaquina Head for more than a decade,” said Salem
District Manager Kim Titus. “Together they have touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of visitors
and have assisted the Bureau of Land Management with many visitor service tasks including lighthouse
tours, interpretive center operations and tide pool education.”
A number of additional Yaquina Head volunteers, including full time “apprentices” – volunteers who
serve as rangers-in-training, were also recognized. During the past year, 39 volunteers provided 8,308
hours of service, (valued at $184,000).
Yaquina Head also recognized the efforts of high school tide pool rangers, who played an important role
in the site’s Cobble Beach tide pools for the first time this summer. Local teens helped significantly reduce
the impact of 100,000-plus people visiting the tide pools, provided educational opportunities, and also
helped keep visitors safe while traversing the rolling cobbles and slippery seaweed.
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area’s peak visitor period comes to a close as children return to
school, but for those who enjoy less crowds, fall and winter are great times to visit. The site is open daily
with a $7 fee providing three days of access. An annual pass to Yaquina Head is $15. A number of other
passes are honored and available at the site. For more information, call 541-574-3100, or visit Yaquina
online at: http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/yaquina/index.php
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land known as
the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 western states, including Alaska. The BLM also
administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage
and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of
multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.
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