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Douglas County proclaims April 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Month; officials cite thousands of volunteer hours
Summary
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously proclaimed April 2025 as Volunteer Appreciation Month and heard presentations from department directors and volunteer leaders highlighting contributions in law enforcement, open space, public works, parks, fairgrounds and other programs.
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on April 22 proclaimed April 2025 as Volunteer Appreciation Month and recognized volunteers across county departments and advisory boards.
County staff read the proclamation into the record and invited directors and volunteer leaders to speak. Douglas County Sheriff Weekly told the board the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has relied on volunteers for years, saying the office’s community safety volunteers have contributed more than 318,000 hours since 2006 and that volunteers represent a significant in‑kind value to public safety operations. He described search and rescue volunteers as responding to more than 50 service requests with nearly 4,000 mission hours, about 100,000 miles driven and 5,700 training hours.
Dan Dirts, director of Open Space and Natural Resources, said the department registers more than 400 volunteers who provided more than 7,100 hours for open‑space programs that include mountain patrol, trail ambassadors and weed‑management volunteers. Public Works director Dan Roberts described the county’s Adopt‑a‑Road volunteers and a noxious‑weed advisory committee that provides property‑owner perspective on weed control. Zach Burns, fairgrounds manager, outlined the role of more than 40 year‑round Fair Board volunteers and additional green‑shirt volunteers who run events. Nick Gioak of Parks said volunteers planted trees, removed invasive plants and supported 30 separate events; staff reported 80 people already signed up for the county’s upcoming DUGNAD tree‑planting event at Bayou Gulch Open Space.
Commissioners thanked volunteers and noted partnerships with faith‑based organizations, school districts and community groups. The board moved, seconded and voted; the chair announced the resolution proclaiming April 2025 Volunteer Appreciation Month passed unanimously. County communications staff invited volunteers forward for a group photograph after the meeting.
Speakers highlighted the breadth of volunteer activity across public safety, open space, parks, public works, the fairgrounds and advisory boards and described volunteer service as a major contributor to the county’s quality of life.
