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Fred Fletcher awards honor Raleigh volunteers who keep parks running
Summary
Raleigh honored 15 volunteers and groups at the 30th Fred Fletcher Outstanding Volunteer Awards, spotlighting coaches, neighborhood preservationists, corporate pro bono partners and more; presenters cited roughly 13,000 volunteers and millions of annual park visits.
Elizabeth Gardner, a meteorologist at WRL TV, opened the 30th annual Fred Fletcher Outstanding Volunteer Awards in Raleigh, calling the city parks "a treasure" and thanking attendees for their service.
The ceremony, hosted by the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department, recognized 15 winners across 14 categories for activities ranging from coaching and horticulture to neighborhood history preservation and long-term group service. Mayor Janet Cowell said the city relies heavily on volunteers, noting "the data I got was that we have 13,000 volunteers in parks, which is incredible," and described volunteer contributions as part of Raleigh's green identity.
Bill Fletcher, son of Fred Fletcher, told stories of his father's decades of civic service and framed volunteerism as the community's backbone: "Volunteers are lifters carrying the load for some loafers who are left out there," he said, urging recognition for unpaid work that sustains parks and programs.
Award highlights included Coach George Eller, recipient of the Harvey Karcivar award for youth basketball coaching; Dr. John Millhauser, honored for archaeological work at Mordecai House; and the Abilities Tennis Association of North Carolina, recognized for its inclusion-focused clinics for athletes with disabilities. Mitch Rosen received the Greenway Volunteer award after organizers cited more than 1,800 hours of service since 2014 (230+ in 2025).
The firm McAdams was singled out as Outstanding Financial Contributor for providing pro bono permitting, design, and construction administration for the Carolee Park redesign project, which organizers said includes ADA improvements, an expanded playground and renovated court. "McAdams checks the box for outstanding," presenter Steve Brechabell said.
Steven Bentley, director of the parks department, closed the program by thanking volunteers and staff and encouraging continued engagement: "We work so you can play," he said, noting volunteerism is central to the department's work and civic life in Raleigh.
The ceremony was recorded by RTN and will be available on YouTube. Organizers said the event runs annually and that volunteer opportunities and nomination details are available through the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources website.
