Long-Time HRI Supporter Receives Governor’s Volunteer Award

 

By Lisa Kelly

 

Recognizing outstanding dedication, commitment and spirit of service, Secretary of State Regena L. Thomas joined with the Governor's Office of Volunteerism and the Governor's Advisory Council on Volunteerism and Community Service to honor Lisa G. Ryan, long-time Hackensack Riverkeeper supporter, and other recipients of the 2004 Governor's Volunteer Awards.

Selected from hundreds of nominations for exemplary contributions to the citizens and the State, 11 recipients–nine individuals and two organizations–were honored at a ceremony at Drumthwacket, the Governor’s residence in Princeton. Each recipient represented a diverse range of volunteer activities including: the Arts, Education, Environment and Animals, Health, Human Services, Long Term Service, Mobilization of Volunteers, Public Safety, Service to Seniors, Service to Youth, and Volunteer Leadership.

Lisa G. Ryan, who was honored in the Environment and Animals category, grew up in Harrington Park, with the woods surrounding the Hackensack River as her backyard. Many happy days were spent in these woods and on the banks of the river. She even ventured in once for a quick dip, at the spot where her father played as a child, often swinging from a rope into the river.

A life-long volunteer and activist for various human and animal rights causes, Lisa had a defining moment about five years ago when she tried to take her beloved pet dog and best friend, Thelma, swimming at Overpeck Creek in Leonia, a tributary of the Hackensack River. Lisa and Thelma were shocked and disgusted at the filth they found lining the banks.

Shortly thereafter, Lisa contacted Hackensack Riverkeeper and asked about river cleanups. At the time, there was no available staff and no funding for river cleanups in the Riverkeeper's tight budget. Lisa was invited to organize a river cleanup program–which she promptly did!

Working as an unpaid volunteer, Lisa put in hundreds of hours to create this program from scratch. Coordinating with Hackensack Riverkeeper's Operations Director Kathy Urffer, Lisa scouted out areas of the river and its tributaries that could both use and accommodate a cleanup effort. She set dates, contacted municipalities, got necessary permits, and arranged for garbage to be hauled away.

But her voluntarism didn't end there. She rallied volunteers, making sure they were informed of dates, times and places. She arranged with Riverkeeper to have canoes at cleanup sites so volunteers could attack trash both in the water and in riverside locations that are inaccessible by foot. For each cleanup, Lisa made coffee and tea and provided breakfast. She brought washable dishes and cups, so we wouldn’t contribute to the waste stream.

When Lisa initiated the Hackensack Riverkeeper cleanup program in 2001, she ran six cleanups throughout the watershed. That number grew to eight in both 2002 and 2003, and there are 12 cleanups scheduled for the 2004 season (April through October). Lisa Ryan–and her best friend, Thelma–have been at every one, working with volunteers, coordinating the process, and getting dirty picking up tons of trash.

Thanks to Lisa, today river cleanups are an extremely important part of Hackensack Riverkeeper's education and advocacy program. By the end of the 2004 season, thanks to Lisa G. Ryan, Hackensack Riverkeeper's river cleanup program will have cleaned a total of 40,000 linear feet of riverbank of many, many tons of garbage.

Lisa's commitment doesn't end there. She is fully trained to volunteer at Hackensack Riverkeeper's Canoe Project, and she has discussed the possibility of initiating an adopt-a-stream program in our watershed. She has staffed Hackensack Riverkeeper's exhibit at various events and she is always there when our staff puts out the call for volunteer help.

Hackensack Riverkeeper is not the only beneficiary of her generous nature. Lisa also volunteers for various animal shelters and animal rights groups, as well as other environmental organizations, such as the Pocono Environmental Education Center.

Some 300 volunteers come out for Hackensack Riverkeeper's cleanups throughout a season, and all owe a bit of thanks to Lisa Ryan for being the catalyst and the drive behind this important community service. In fact, we all do, because we all benefit from making the watershed just a bit cleaner.