A map of our PGE Parks Champion (green) and Joey Pope Award for Parks Leadership (orange) nominees, seen at our 2024 Spring Summit.
PPF’s annual PGE Parks Champion Award recognizes individuals who provide outstanding volunteer service to a park, community center, natural area or community garden. The two honorees 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.
This year, we received nominations for 12 people and groups across Portland, and you can see their impact across the city!
Some highlights include:
Getting kids (and adults!) on bikes for the first time, and comfortable on outdoor trails
Making and extending art experiences in the outdoors
First-responder devotion to trail access access and maintenance
Restoring and improving watershed health and sustainability
Pollution prevention and waste pickup in sensitive green spaces
Community engagement and creative environmental education
Our 2024 PGE Parks Champions are:
Andrea Wall, Friends of Fanno Creek Headwaters
In 2016, Andrea created the Friends of Fanno Creek Headwaters, and her restoration efforts have involved the coordination of hundreds of volunteers to remove invasive ivy and blackberry and planting thousands of native plants in their place. Beyond invasive plant removal, her restoration efforts have improved stormwater management, creek bank erosion, and contributed to educational engagements for youth, teens, and community members.
Her award will be donated to support Fanno Creek. You can learn more and support work at the Fanno Creek Headwaters here:
Juntu Oberg, North West Trail Alliance
Juntu is Portland Parks & Recreation liaison for the Northwest Trail Alliance, where they voluntarily set up trainings and courses for anyone interested in mountain biking and multi-use trails. Since 2018, they have significantly expanded access to mountain biking for youth and families that face immense barriers to outdoor recreation. Through their work with NWTA, Juntu provides opportunities for participants through community social events, group rides, educational skills trainings and stewardship.
Their award will be donated to NWTA. You can learn more and support work with the Northwest Trail Alliance here:
2024 PGE Parks Champion Nominees include:
Andrea Wall, SW 25th Ave Community Trail, located SW 25th Ave between Capitol Hwy and Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Fanno Creek Headwaters
Bill Banister, Forest Park, Forest park Conservancy, Soft-Surface Trails
Bill Bradford & Kathy Olliver, Johnson Lake Natural Area
Des Murphy, Hoyt Arboretum
Hannah Crosfield, Khunamowkst Park, Grant Park, Mt. Tabor, Lincoln Park Elementary, Whitman School
Jennifer Phillips, Montavilla Community Center & Gateway Green
Juntu Oberg, Gateway Green, Powell Butte, Forest Park, Montavilla Park, Mutli use soft surface trails
Norm & Kaye Fetscher, Leach Botanical Garden
Pam Fox, Spring Garden Park
Robin Jensen, Friends of Marquam Nature Park/Forest Park Conservancy
Stephen Cameron, Whitaker Ponds, Wilkes Creek Headwaters, Johnson Lake, and Kelley Point Park.
Tom Ralley, Lent Elementary; Lents Neighborhood
Read about the nominees
and their work here:
A special thanks to our 2024-25 program sponsor, Portland General Electric.
Thank you to Portland General Electric for partnering with us to recognize the individuals and organizations in our community who are passionate advocates for creating safe and welcoming parks and greenspaces. The PGE Parks Champion Awards are an extension of PGE’s commitment to empowering communities to create a cleaner, greener, more equitable Oregon. Through its Project Zero initiative, they are engaging youth and community members to learn, solve and take action through climate and clean energy education, environmental stewardship and access to green jobs. The PGE Parks Champion Awards embodies the very mission of Project Zero and reflects the significance that volunteerism plays in building strong, healthy communities.