Earlier this year, the Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) held its annual Awards and Volunteer Recognition Picnic at Fort Hunter to celebrate its partners, donors, and volunteers.
Following remarks from CAGA President Michael Shaull and guest speaker Charlotte Katzenmoyer, CEO of Capital Region Water, the organization presented five awards to outstanding volunteers/partners who have made significant contributions:
· Rusty Diamond – Rusty has volunteered with CAGA for more than seven years, providing essential support for grant applications by lending skills and knowledge she developed in her professional career. She has provided expert support for grant applications to restore the city-owned parkways. Her involvement and the unparalleled services she has provided have been essential to the success of parkway restoration activities.
· Neelam Zaver – Neelam has been a critical CAGA volunteer since she joined the board in 2020. She has served as the Assistant Treasurer and Secretary for the board. She has also provided outstanding leadership as chair of the Tour de Belt in 2021 and 2022. Under her leadership, the Tour de Belt has recruited a record number of riders, involved a record number of volunteers and sponsors, and raised record revenue. She has also envisioned and lead initiatives to create a community festival at the finish line of the Tour de Belt.
· Skelly and Loy, Inc. – Skelly and Loy, Inc. has been an important partner, lending engineering and environmental services expertise to efforts to restore the city-owned parkways. Contributions far exceed contracted services, including support for grant applications, design and construction support, and permitting. CAGA estimates that non-billable work to support the Greenbelt exceeded $100,000 as of 2021.
· Larry Wasser – Larry Wasser has been the leader for Greenbelt maintenance in the northern corridor for efforts that are not covered by state and local crews. He researched and recommended the purchase of an appropriate leaf blower for CAGA and he can be seen throughout the trail clearing leaves from paved surfaces. He is also leading an initiative to prepare and paint the gates throughout the Greenbelt. He provides a skilled eye to identify projects that need to be completed and he steps in to do the hard work to get the projects done.
· Rebecca “Becky” Schuchert (Mira Lloyd Dock Award) – Becky Schuchert has provided more than 20 years of service and leadership to maintain and promote the Capital Area Greenbelt. Becky is one of the original CAGA volunteers and she has remained involved in a number of leadership positions for decades. She has worked tirelessly to support Tour de Belt efforts, recruiting more than 30 volunteers each year to keep riders safe. She has served on the board since 2019, where she subtly guides maintenance efforts from behind the scenes. But Becky’s biggest impact is felt from her decades of dedicated service as she has quietly and effectively provided crucial service and leadership in almost all of the CAGA initiatives. CAGA is a better organization and the Capital Area Greenbelt is a better trail, recreational destination, and travel corridor because Becky Schuchert has provided such long-term, high-quality leadership and volunteer service.