PAST EVENTS

2010 Community Hero Awards Dinner

The 5th Annual Hero Awards Dinner was held on April 9, 2010 for the first time in the beautiful Eugene Country Club ballroom. Two long-time leaders were named the 2010 community heroes for their extraordinary and lasting impact on our parks and open spaces: the Alton Baker family of Guard Publishing and community volunteer John Brown. The Family of Alton Baker was recognized for helping to establish and donating land for Eugene’s much-loved Alton Baker Park, and John Brown for his ongoing work to keep the Willamette River clean and healthy. A successful auction of Washington Park Spray Play sponsorship items generated huge support for our primary initiative in 2010. Thank you to everyone who shared the lovely evening with us, we hope to see both new and familiar faces at the 2011 event.

2009 Community Hero Awards Dinner

The 4th Annual Eugene Parks Foundation Community Hero Awards dinner was held Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at the Downtown Athletic Club Ballroom. The 2009 honorees were Ray Wiley for more than a decade of tireless volunteer activism at Skinner Butte Park and Friends of Buford Park for their collective care and stewardship of 2,300 acres of regional natural area. Guests enjoyed a lively and immensely rewarding dessert auction, rounding out a wonderful evening.

2008 Community Hero Awards Dinner

The 3rd Annual Eugene Parks Foundation Community Hero Awards dinner was held Thursday, May 8, 2008, at the Downtown Athletic Club Ballroom. The 2008 honorees were Oregon State Representative Nancy Nathanson & the Riverloop Connection Project for joining forces to revitalize the much-beloved Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System. The Friends of Hendricks Park received the hero award for their stewardship and community outreach in support of Eugene’s very first park. A fun-filled live auction included everything from Olympic Trials and Bach Festival tickets to a Hawaiian vacation. Event table sponsors included LTD, Peace Health, and the University of Oregon.

2007 Community Hero Awards Dinner

On March 22, 2007 over 200 guests attended the 2nd annual Eugene Parks Foundation Community Hero Awards dinner. The awards were presented to the Oregon Track Club (OTC) and Ruth Bascom. Oregon Track Club’s mission is to promote track and field and running for all facets of the community. In addition to hosting a fourth Olympic Trials in 2008, OTC’s more than 1,000 members celebrated the club’s 50th anniversary. Former Eugene mayor Ruth Bascom’s decades-long persistence ultimately led to the creation of Eugene’s highly popular 12-mile riverbank path system named in her honor. In addition, she was instrumental in creating the Hays Memorial Tree Garden in Alton Baker Park.

2006 Community Hero Awards Dinner

Celebrating 100 Years of Eugene Parks

To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Parks in Eugene, the Eugene Parks Foundation partnered with the City of Eugene Parks and Recreation Divisions to kick off an annual Community Hero Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 11, 2006 at the Downtown Athletic Club Ballroom. The sold out event for 200 honored the first of many Community Heroes, former Mayor Jim Torrey and Judge Darryl Larson for their advocacy and commitment to parks and recreation in Eugene. Jim Torrey was honored for more than 30 years of volunteering with KidSports and ensuring funding was dedicated to youth and athletic programs. As a Rotarian, Darryl Larson’s unwavering leadership resulted in raising $400,000 toward the RiverPlay Playground in Skinner Butte Park. The event was proudly sponsored by the employee-owned local company 2G Construction.