The Florida Recreation and Park Association's Voluntary Service Award is presented annually to citizens, businesses or organizations whose contributions of volunteer service over a period of time, have improved the quality and quantity of leisure opportunities through parks, recreation and leisure service programs and projects in neighborhoods, communities, or the State of Florida.  The contribution of time and effort to the parks, recreation and leisure services movement must have been for a minimum of three years.  The group must have conducted advocacy activities on behalf of parks, recreation and leisure services through involvement in other organizations or endeavors outside of the parks, recreation and leisure service field.  And the group must have been involved in local or state legislative activities resulting in the heightened awareness of the benefits of parks, recreation and leisure services.

Our Youth Board was formed in 2006 and they have impacted our community in many ways.  They volunteered, planned and implemented events, were role models for other youth as well as outstanding advocates for the benefits of Parks and Recreation.  Here are some of the events, programs and advocacy in the form of community outreach they conducted over the past three years:  Children's Winter Art Show, Summertime in the City, Monthly Family Movie Night Toy Give Away, Cardboard Box Drive-In Movie, Kids to Parks Day, Scare Trails, Kids Zombie Fun Run, Trunk-or-Treat, Winterfest with Santa, Cotee River Cleanup Projects, 9/11 Memorial, Street Cleanup Projects, Parks Cleanup Projects, Toys for Tots, Cardboard Campout for the Homeless and Food Drive, Splash and Dash, Children's Obstacle Course at the RAP River Run, May the Forth Be With You Laser Tag, Easter Egg Hunt, Lighthouse for the Blind Egg Hunt for blind and visually impaired children, the making of 50 Comfort Bags for children in the Domestic Violence Shelters and public speaking on the benefits of parks and recreation.

During the Florida Recreation and Park Association Annual Awards Banquet held in Orlando on August 28, 2019, the New Port Richey Parks and Recreation Department Youth Advisory Board was presented with the 2019 FRPA Voluntary Service Award.  The award is only presented to one volunteer group from all the Parks and Recreation Departments in the State of Florida.  This award was created in 1997 and is usually given to adult volunteer groups.  Our Youth Board is the only group to have ever received this award twice; once in 2010 and again in 2019.

A short video will be shown from the awards banquet.