Mesa Honors its Volunteers

The City of Mesa and the Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities Department are well aware of the impact that residents, who share their time and talents to make a difference in our community, have on the City.  The Mesa Parks and Recreation and Commercial Facilities Department will celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month (July) by recognizing some of its most valuable assets, its volunteers.

In the first six months of 2008 a total of 2,683 volunteers have donated a little more than 54,000 hours of their time saving the City almost $1.2 million dollars.

“The residents of Mesa are truly giving of their time and ideas to our department,” Recreation Programmer Jordan Heller said. “We here at the City of Mesa and especially in the Parks and Rec Department know how much volunteers mean to the city and we are extremely grateful for their efforts.”

Volunteers are utilized year round in a variety of roles, some serve as coaches for after school sports, Special Olympics and other adaptive programs. Volunteers also assist in all of the events and competitions for the adaptive leisure area; they help with all of the activities at the four recreation centers (Webster, Washington Activity Center, Jefferson and Red Mountain). Without their assistance many of the programs would not be in existence.

During the summer the City has two teen volunteer programs. The Guard Start (Jr. Life Guard) program and the Teen Leadership Training (TLT) program, both programs are designed to give teens some job like experience and hands on training.

“I have volunteered for two summers at the Webster Recreation Center and have learned so many things,” Nick Martinez, Teen Leadership Trainee volunteer said. “I like knowing that my volunteer work directly effects the lives of kids that come to the summer camp. I think that being a volunteer here has given me the skills I will need to become a staff member next summer.”

To become a volunteer, please search our volunteer opportunities in the City of Mesa’s Web site www.cityofmesa.org to find an area that interests you.