Volunteer Recognition Awards honor local residents

The Chicago Botanic Garden recently celebrated the dedication of its team of more than 2,000 volunteers in 2014.

One new and several annual awards were presented for individual achievement. The Annual Volunteer Recognition Reception was held under the canopy of the lakeside McGinley Pavilion.

"It is a special day set aside to honor all of you," said Judy Cashen, director of volunteer administration and engagement, before a full audience. "I hope you all feel in your soul as I do, how lucky we are to be in this place."

Her comments were followed with a special appearance by Illinois state Senator Julie Morrison, who represents the 29th District, who said that the garden "is a gem. It is something that you have to see to understand. It is a place where you can revive and refresh."

• In an annual tradition, volunteer Richard Baer of Deerfield read a poem he had specially written for the occasion. He was then surprised with an appearance by his sons who presented him with poems they created in his honor. Judy Cashen presented Baer with the Chicago Botanic Garden Poet Laureate Award. The World War II veteran began writing poetry while in the service and brought his love of words to the garden in 2002. He has given 1,000 hours to areas including the information desk and special events. When the garden staff began receiving his annual holiday poem, they asked him to write poems on the occasion of the annual volunteer awards reception and the tradition was born.

• Russell Zapel of Des Plaines was recognized for his receipt of the Super Senior Award, which was originally presented to him at a special luncheon at the North Shore Senior Center. He became a g arden volunteer in 1993, working in a plant evaluation garden and quickly becoming a master gardener. He went on to answer thousands of questions as a Plant Information Service representative. To date, Zapel has donated 7,500 hours. He was noted for his precise and thorough nature, his broad spectrum of horticultural knowledge and for his love of plants, people and research.

• Mark Guth of Mundelein received the Five-Star Customer Service Award. He was celebrated for giving 1,000 hours of volunteer time and serving as a model volunteer who is dependable, flexible and reliable. In 2013, Guth was selected as the team leader for the Garden Greeter volunteer team, welcoming visitors and also training new volunteers.

• Bob Ginocchio of Palatine was honored with the Barbara Whitney Carr Excellence in Leadership Award for his innovation and leadership as a volunteer since 2009. Ginocchio has worked as an entry garden volunteer, maintaining the espalier at the Visitor Center entrance and participating in the annual installation of the Wonderland Express winter exhibit in the Krehbiel Gallery, giving 3,000 hours to date. "Gardening is what I enjoy," he said. "Here and at home, it is what I do."

• Ellen Horn of Skokie received the prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award for her extraordinary commitment of more than 20 years of volunteering. She is a master gardener who has been an avid volunteer in the Regenstein Fruit and Vegetable Garden and with the Living Plant Documentation Department, giving a total of 2,500 hours.

• Elaine Bogetz of Lincolnwood, a World War II U.S. Navy veteran, was celebrated for serving as a volunteer for 35 years. She began volunteering in 1980, serving nearly 5,000 hours in the Grunsfeld Children's Growing Garden and has since volunteered at special events and in the Model Railroad Garden: Landmarks of America.

• Val Egem of Lake Forest and Virginia Rosen of Northbrook were each honored for 30 years of volunteer service. Egem has given more than 3,800 hours at events including the Roadside Flower Sale, while Rosen has given 2,700 hours, primarily in the greenhouses.

Volunteers reaching milestones including five, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of service were also recognized with a resolution written for them by Forest Preserves of Cook County Commissioner Gregg Goslin. There were additional celebrations for those contributing 25 to 700 hours-plus in 2014. Every volunteer received an Ipomoea Nil "Good Morning Pink" Japanese morning glory to take home.

Visit chicagobotanic.org/volunteer.