Volunteers receive prestigious award

By Kyle Patterson

Public Information Officer/Management Specialist of Rocky Mountain National Park

Roger and Betsy Leverton were recently selected for the Intermountain Regional George and Helen Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. This is a prestigious award given to volunteers in the National Park Service.

Their dedication to the mission of the National Park Service is truly inspiring. For 15 years they have served Rocky Mountain National Park and park visitors in a variety of volunteer capacities.

At the park's recent annual Volunteer Appreciation Event, the Levertons were presented with the Hartzog Award for Enduring Service for their contributions to Rocky's Artist-in-Residence Program.

For over 10 years, Roger and Betsy Leverton have assisted the park's Artist-in-Residence Coordinator in running a challenging multi-disciplinary art program. Their volunteer duties are diverse and complex. The Levertons work directly with professional artists, the visiting public, and they process hundreds of applications for the prominent program.

The scope and magnitude of their contributions to Rocky's artist program over the last decade is astounding. Since 2004, the Levertons have enhanced the efficiency of the program, helped to make the application and jury process more environmentally sustainable, and increased the quality of program applicants.

In the last decade, they have processed 843 applications, prepared jury materials for 55 jury panel members, have hosted 69 artists and have emceed 132 Artist-in-Residence public programs enjoyed by nearly 6,000 park visitors and local residents.

Their enduring service has made significant, meaningful and lasting contributions to the oldest Artist-in-Residence Program within the National Park Service. They have helped to make Rocky's Artist-in-Residence Program an exceptional program that is emulated by many other national parks. Through their volunteer work with the Artist-in-Residence Coordinator, they have helped to meet the mission of the National Park Service and move the park toward the Director's 2016 centennial goal of connecting people to parks through showcasing the arts.