Before she started volunteering on turtle walks at MacArthur Beach State Park, Stephanie Grant already had an interesting life.
She’s lived all over the world in Japan, China and England and Central Africa, where served as a tuberculosis health worker in the Peace Corps, according to a news release from the park. But it was the nearly 10,000 hours she’s spent volunteering at MacArthur Beach State Park that earned her the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award, the park announced Monday.
Grant, who is originally from Des Moines, Iowa, started volunteering at Palm Beach County’s only state park in May 2001. She’s served in the nature center and education program, as well as on turtle and nature walks, according to the park.
“Stephanie is an inspiration,” said Cheryl Houghtelin, Executive Director of the Friends of MacArthur Beach State Park. “She has dedicated herself to the service of others and passing on her wealth of knowledge to the next generation.”
The presidential award is for people who have dedicated more than 4,000 volunteer hours in their lifetimes and who have inspired other volunteers, the park said.
The park presented Grant with her presidential award, presidential pin and a personalized certificate of achievement at a volunteer appreciation event last week. Grant said in the news release that she is honored and grateful to give back to the community doing what she loves.
The North Palm Beach park is 438 acres of coastal land situated on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Lake Worth Lagoon.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/2017/04/13/president-awards-macarthur-park-volunteer-for-9000-hours-served/