Thank You, Volunteers! – Top 10

It’s National Volunteer Week, and all of our volunteers are TOP to us!  For the purposes of this post, we’d like to thank and recognize the volunteers with the highest number of hours in 2009.

Thank you, NMLC Volunteers, for all the hours you donate to help save endangered and protected marine animals, advance science, educate kids, and inspire conservation.

DSCN2827#s 10 & 4 – with an estimated 100 and 125 hours respectively:  Jim and Ann Marie Zagzebski.  When this couple from Wisconsin visit their daughter, she puts them to work!  They’ve helped with facilities projects, education, the gift shop, the Mermaid Ball, and animal care.  Back in the midwest, Jim is the Chair of the Medical Physics Department at UW Madison and Ann Marie is retired from the Madison Public School System where she served as an aide working with disabled students.

DSCN0824# 9 – with an estimated 100 hours:  Kathy Frucci.
Kathy assists with education and has developed dozens of fun sealife-themed arts and crafts projects that the kids enjoy.  She has also assisted with animal care and the Mermaid Ball.  In her non-NMLC life, she works at Cape Cod Health Care and also volunteers with the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Program.

RBrelease014-cropped#s 8 & 7 – with 105 hours each:  Len and Paula Boutin.  Len and Paula help with animal care, including Patty, the diamondback terrapin hatchlings, and the red-bellied cooter hatchlings.  They’ve also cared for sea turtles when we’ve had them on-site.  Len and Paula are quick to pitch in where ever needed, from moving tanks around the new hospital to staffing an NMLC booth at fairs and festivals.  They also made an ingenious pvc “turtle shelf” for our veterinary incubator to increase the number of cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles the machine can house.  Like many of our volunteers, they also donate their time to other worthy groups such as the Wareham Land Trust.

P4230325-cropped Bob#6 – with 109.25 hours:  Bob Christian.  We love it when our volunteers recruit their friends!  Bob heard about the National Marine Life Center from Len and Paula, and began volunteering in Animal Care in last 2008.  He currently assists with the red-bellied cooters.  Bob is retired from Prudential Insurance Company, and recently found out his company matches donations for retirees! Bob encourages all volunteers and donors to check out their company’s Matching Gift Program.

IMG_1165#5 – with 109.75 hours:  Juan Bacigalupi.  Juan is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.  He has volunteered for the National Marine Life Center for four years, and helps in animal care, education, with the Mermaid Ball, and where ever needed.  Juan has also volunteered with Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida and with an orca research group in Washington state.

IMG_0003-compressed# 3 – with an estimated 125 hours:  Trish Perry.  Trish comes to NMLC with a BA in zoology and a background in volunteer service with various other marine mammal groups in Hawaii.  She currently takes care of Patty and has also helped with sea turtle rehab.  Not afraid to get her hands dirty, Trish also put her landscaping expertise to work helping clean up our front flower beds!

IMG_6049#2 – with 200 hours:  Mike Senzapaura.  Mike is a sophomore majoring in Marine Safety and Environmental Protection at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.  He assists NMLC with animal care, education, and the Mermaid Ball.  Most recently, Mike has undertaken the massive project of articulating a harbor porpoise skeleton for display in NMLC’s Marine Animal Discovery Center.  His attention to detail and meticulous handling of very tiny bones is resulting in a wonderful new educational tool.

6-1-09 Release 031#1 – with 267.5 hours:  Linda Jackson.  Linda is a retired nurse who also has experience as a veterinary technician.  In her first year volunteering with NMLC, she has donated a whopping 267.5 hours!  Linda helps where ever needed, including animal care, education, and the Mermaid Ball.  She exemplifies the positive attitude and “can do” spirit of NMLC volunteers, and was recently named the 2010 Volunteer of the Year.

Thank you, Volunteers, for all that you do!