At the Groundswell NW annual meeting last night, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Chair of the Parks and Seattle Center Committee, discussed the state of parks while the organization awarded those who have been volunteering their time and effort to create and maintain green spaces.

Three volunteers were awarded with the "Local Hero Award" for efforts that go well beyond the call of duty.

Carol Duescher, a Magnolia resident, was recognized for her own initiative to sweep parks and public access sites on a daily basis. She typically starts in the wee hours at Discovery Park and works her way along Commodore Way, over the Ballard Bridge and around to Salmon Bay Natural Area, picking up trash and sorting out recyclables.

Mark Blitzer has been a steady volunteer at the Salmon Bay Natural Area, where he came to an early Groundswell work party and just kept coming back. Blitzer was recognized for being the volunteer who can be counted on to show up and do whatever is needed.

Robert Drucker has emerged as a community leader, serving as a trustee for the Sunset Hill Community Association, representing Ballard at the City Neighborhood Council, and serving on the Neighborhood Matching Fund Citywide Review Team, helping award grants for community project throughout the city. He was recently elected to his 2nd term as Sunset Hill Community Association President, where he has overseen the creation of a successful raingarden at their clubhouse. He also spearheaded the Sunstation Park design project, co-sponsored by Groundswell, which resulted in an innovative concept for transforming a surplussed City Light substation into a solar generation park and community gathering space.