| Contacts: | Sarah Wheeler | , 208-524-7550 |
Challis Field Office Volunteer Receives National “Making a Difference” Award
Challis, ID -- Duane Wilson, volunteer for the Challis Field Office, was selected to receive the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM's) 2011 "Making a Difference" National Volunteer Award in Washington, D.C. on May 26th. Duane has served as volunteer campground host at Cottonwood Campground for twelve consecutive years, going on thirteen years this spring. During that time, he has volunteered over 10,000 hours of his time to the successful operation of Cottonwood campground. “We are very proud and grateful to have a volunteer with such integrity as Duane,” said Joe Kraayenbrink, BLM Idaho Falls district manager.
Kraayenbrink said the following comment, one of many Duane has received, sums up his service nicely: "Duane treats the place as if it were his own personal garden. It is immaculate, restrooms likewise. He works ten hours a day, just about every day of the week. He keeps a perfect balance between being friendly and helpful, yet in his quiet way people know he’s very much in charge. Cottonwood is a beautiful, well-run campground, thanks in large measure to the hard work and competence of one of your very best camp hosts, Mr. Duane Wilson."
Without his volunteer services over the last 12 years, the Challis Field Office would not have been able to keep the campground running in a manner adequate to serve their visiting public, let alone keep it one of the hidden jewels of the BLM. Congratulations to Duane Wilson, from the Challis Field Office and the Idaho Falls District.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.