Des Moines Parks and Recreation honors hundreds of volunteers, highlights more than 4,100 participants and 30,000 hours in 2025 awards

Des Moines Parks and Recreation honored dozens of volunteers and community partners at its 2025 volunteer awards ceremony, presenting individual awards, group recognitions and a partner of the year award while highlighting the department’s volunteer impact for the year.

Cali Leal Portwright, parks and recreation supervisor and certified volunteer administrator, opened the event and introduced a message from Mayor Connie Bozen, who thanked volunteers and said the department recorded “over 4,100 volunteers” and “over 30,000 hours” of service in 2025. Leal Portwright told attendees the department ranks in the top 11 percent nationally for volunteer engagement and that staff and volunteers together generated community value the department estimated at more than $1.1 million in 2025.

The evening’s awards recognized a range of volunteer work. Doug Faust was named Volunteer Supervisor of the Year for his leadership at the Claire and Miles Mills Rose Garden, where 46 volunteers contributed 126 hours this season to maintain the nationally recognized display. Mark Siegfried received a special neighborhood recognition for 15 years leading his association’s flower program; staff said the neighborhood donated more than 5,100 hours (valued in staff remarks at roughly $144,000) to plant and maintain public spaces.

Longtime volunteer Jen Bramble, an inaugural “Yoga in the Park” instructor, returned from Florida to accept a special volunteer award and described her decades-long connection to local classes. Josh Saba was honored as Coach of the Year for his work across youth sports; Saba, a Johnson School District coach and teacher, thanked his family, colleagues and referees and spoke about supporting players with special needs.

Two volunteers—Mike Schaeffer and Karen Stiles—were named Friends of the Year for ongoing conservation and watershed stewardship at Easter Lake Park and other sites; staff reported they had donated more than 2,400 hours in 2025 and collected thousands of pounds of litter across parks and waterways. Bridges of Iowa and JEO Consulting Group were recognized for volunteer and corporate contributions: Bridges for decade-long sustained volunteer service and JEO for donating professional time to develop plans for the Raccoon River Trail. The Ruan Family Foundation received the Friends of Des Moines Parks Partner of the Year award for long-term philanthropic support of multiple park projects.

John Taylor III was named Volunteer of the Year for persistent trail cleanup and stewardship efforts; staff said he removed nearly 400 bags of litter in two years and more than 200 hours in 2025 alone. Taylor’s recorded remarks thanked City staff and volunteer coordinators for equipment and logistical support. Bridget Krauss received a lifetime achievement award for nearly 17 years of service across greenhouse work, adapted sports and emergency cleanup, with staff citing roughly $25,000 in donated volunteer time over her tenure.

The ceremony closed with organizers thanking staff and volunteers and inviting attendees to a post-event reception. The Parks and Recreation Board then moved to adjourn and the meeting was closed.