Patty Hale and Londa Jacques honored as Shoreline volunteers

Mayor McGlashan reads the Proclamation, while Londa Jacques and Patty Hale wait to accept it on behalf of volunteers.

Patty Hale and Londa Jacques were honored during volunteer week in Shoreline as they left the Parks Board after three terms and 12 years on the Board.

At the April 11th Council meeting, Mayor Keith McGlashan read a City proclamation honoring Shoreline volunteers, which said, in part, "City of Shoreline volunteers contributed 17,166 hours of service in 2010.  City volunteers perform a wide variety of tasks: cleaning up local parks and streets; providing emergency communication capability and disaster assistance; serving on boards, commissions, task forces and advisory committees; assisting at Neighborhood Police Centers; organizing neighborhood associations; and providing recreational opportunities for Shoreline neighbors.  The City is able to enhance its services and engage more residents due to the tireless contributions of volunteers and we are grateful for their service."

Hale and Jacques accepted the proclamation on behalf of the volunteers of the City.

Patty Hale remarked that her time on the Parks Board was a true labor of love. "That is what volunteering is all about. Working for something you are passionate about. Being involved, giving back, working with others, making a difference, working with others..."

She continued, "I grew up in a family of volunteers - I can't imagine not being involved. That is why I see the end of my term as a Park Board member, not the end, but the beginning of another opportunity to volunteer."

Londa Jacques said,

"For many years, I worked downtown. I slept in Shoreline, but spent most of my day out of the area and I knew very few of my neighbors.

"When I applied for a Parks board position twelve years ago, it was out of a sense of civic duty, of wanting to help make our parks a safer place for my child to play.

"Along the way I discovered that what I had to say had value, that my perspectives mattered, and amazingly my opinions and ideas helped shape our city in ways that ere more influential than I would’ve ever thought possible.

"I also learned first-hand that we have tremendously dedicated, highly professional city staff, and it has been a pleasure to serve with them.

"Volunteering can mean quite a bit of time away from home, and Patty and I each have supportive husbands who put up with our crazy routines.

"When you volunteer you take away so much more than you give—in the form of lifelong friendships, like the one Patty and I share. Twelve years ago I knew so few. Today, I can’t go grocery shopping without running into someone I’ve met as a city volunteer."