The U.S. Bank Parks Champion Award recognizes individuals who provide outstanding volunteer service to a park, community center, natural area or community garden. The two winners each receive the opportunity to direct a $1,500 grant from PPF to a community organization that aligns with our vision: to help Portland communities create more equitable access to nature, play, health, and places of connection.
We had 48 outstanding nominations this year. Please read about each of them here. Get inspired, learn about new opportunities to volunteer and how to support organizations where they volunteer.
Some of the nomination highlights include:
Service spanning decades to places like Leach Botanical Gardens, Columbia Children’s Arboretum, Mt. Tabor Park, Lan Su Chinese Garden and Terwilliger Parkway,
Place justice advocacy in North Portland working to revitalize George Park and downtown
Reimagining what public space looks like with community-led design and education programs at the Boise Eliot Native Grove
Advocating for recreation and programming and creating a sense of belonging through biking and soccer and hiking
Providing safe and inclusive educational and healing opportunities in nature for BIPOC community members
Maintaining parks and public gardens through pulling weeds, cleaning up debris and invasive species in places like Marquam Nature Park, Portland Japanese Garden, the Lilac Garden at Duniway Park and Forest Park
Cleaning up trash and graffiti and increasing safety in Laurelhurst Park, the Pearl District and Waterfront District
Assisting community members to grow their own food by providing accessibility and supplies and general support.
Advocacy for accessible playground equipment and park improvements all over the city
Creating and maintaining free, accessible youth recreation programs and educational opportunities in our parks to youth with a specific focus on youth of color and low-income communities in places like Lents Park, Brooklyn Park, Tanner Springs, Whitaker Ponds and the Columbia Slough Watershed.
Managing countless volunteer groups and inspiring others to form new friends groups in places like Argay Park, Mt. Tabor Park, Tryon Creek State Natural Area and Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden.
Here are your 2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champions
Donovan Smith and Mat Randol
Donovan Smith
Donovan Smith and Mat Randol have been community advocates for North Portland parks for a long time. Mat, along with Donovan, helped create a Friends of George Park group with a focus on Black and Latinx communities, with goals of upgrading current play structures and making changes to the park as a whole. Donovan is also part of the City Repair mural project for this park and is getting community feedback on the mural there as well as what kinds of services and amenities the site needs
The duo is also hoping to hold an annual music festival in the park in future years. As artists, volunteers, and advocates for change, they’ve worked on a number of projects focused on including communities of color who have traditionally been left out of placemaking and stewardship events.
Mat Randol
Donovan helped promote and start events such as the Illamette HipHop festival and this summer’s following rally concert/march at Cathedral park. The duo have also played an integral role with the local movement Gentrification is WEIRD.
Donovan and Mat would like their $1,500 grant to go to André Middleton of Friends of Noise.
Benjamin Tarne
Ben Tarne runs and helped found Friends of Brooklyn Park (FOBP) back in 2017. He champions local youth and communities in the Brooklyn neighborhood, and played a leading role in continuing the organization’s Summer Youth Program (SYP) when its funding was cut in 2017. In July 2019, he and FOPB led a partnership with the Greater Brooklyn Business Association (GBBA) for the ‘Best of Brooklyn’ community potluck with 30+ businesses hosting information booths and samples, The Aladdin Theater and The Lamp hosting a BBQ, live music, and the SYP all at Brooklyn Park. More than 400 people participated in the event.
Ben is a leader, community advocate, and collaborator who brings in different people, groups, and businesses to all share in common causes. The “Community Potlucks at the Park” effort, a series of monthly community potlucks held at Brooklyn City Park, brings people together, provides an opportunity to learn about FOBP and the SYP, and offers a chance to commune at the park, the center of the community.
Ben would like for his $1,500 grant to go towards Friends of Brooklyn Park.
Read about each of the nominees and the amazing volunteer work they are doing in our city!
2021 U.S. Bank Parks Champion Nominees:
Allen Field, Sewallcrest Community Garden
Andrine de la Rocha & Howard Patterson, Boise Eliot Native Grove
Aubrey Russell, Neglected planters and greenspaces in NW Portland and more
Benjamin Tarne, Brooklyn Park
Bill Bannister, Forest Park
Cesar Huerta, Tryon Creek State Natural Area
Christie Quinn, Lents Park and more
Dan McLaughlin, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Darlene Chirman, Leach Botanical Garden
Dave Hillman, Mt. Tabor Park
Dave Manville, SW Portland parks and trails
David Gutzler, Harper's Playground Arbor Lodge Park
Donovan Smith, George park, Dawson Park, Cathedral Park, and more
Duane Hanson, SE Portland around Mt. Tabor
Gary Quinn, Clinton Community Garden
Gordon Campbell & Kathleen Madden, Multnomah Arts Center
Ian Jaquiss, Throughout Portland on Portland Parks & Recreation Board
Jacob Thoreson, Southwest Community Center/East Portland Community Center
Jane Roffey Berry, Argay Park
Jason Baird, Gateway Green
Jim & Geri Rovello, Berkeley Park, Alex Rovello Memorial Tennis Courts
Kate Bodin, Portland Botanical Gardens
Katie & Ron Goodwin, Leach Botanical Garden
Kay Dannen, Elizabeth Caruthers Park
Kim Luey, Lan Su Chinese Garden
Laura Feldman, Columbia Slough Watershed, Nuclear Free NW, CORE, Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board
Laurie Kitxke, Gabriel Park Community Garden
Mary Kinnick, Mt. Tabor Park
Maryhelen Kincaid, Columbia Children's Arboretum
Masaki Shimada, Portland Japanese Garden
Mathew Randol, Kidz N The Park Festival/George Park
Michele Shapiro, Tanner Springs Park
Mike Street, Pearl District/North Park Blocks
Nicole Williams, Friendly house
Pam Slaughter, Whitaker Ponds, Smith and Bybee Lakes, and Oxbow Park
Rick Pope, Forest Park Conservancy
Robin Jensen, Marquam Nature Park
Robin Vesey, Terwilliger Parkway
Scott McKinley, Gabriel Community Garden
Tamara Layden, Portland Parks & Recreation Board
Teresa J Browning, Laurelhurst Park
The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park Committee of The Portland Garden Club, The Lilac Garden at Duniway Park
Wes Risher, Terwilliger Parkway