Park People: Bill and Vickie Halsey
Bill and Vickie Halsey
Toledo, Ohio
How do you lend a hand at Metroparks?
Volunteer Trail Patrol and at Manor House during Holidays in the Manor House in different roles.
How long have you volunteered at Metroparks?
We have been volunteering for the Metroparks for nine years.
Why do you give back to your community?
The community has been good to us. A good place to live, play and work. By volunteering, we can give back to the community for helping us have a good life.
Why do you volunteer at Metroparks?
After we retired we both agreed that we wanted to volunteer somewhere in the community and doing so for the Metroparks was a clear choice. The Metroparks has been in our lives since grade school field trips to Oak Openings, 60 plus years ago, and are still a major part of our lives today.
Your favorite park, trail or activity at Metroparks?
Oak Openings (Note: This is a very hard question to answer because each park offers something special and unique.)
What would people be surprised to know about you?
Bill is an amateur woodworker and amateur radio operator. Vickie plays a musical instrument known as a hammered dulcimer for senior centers, nursing homes and the Manor House during Holidays in the Manor House. She also sings in the Maumee Senior Center Chorus. We have also traveled to and driven in all 50 states.
What is the best thing (or some of the best things) about volunteering at Metroparks?
- The Guests – we agree that the best thing is meeting and talking with the guests in the parks. The people we meet are very appreciative of the Volunteer Trail Patrol and have often told us that very thing.
- The Staff – the appreciation that all the staff shows towards us makes going for a VTP walk in the park or work a special event worth the, sometimes cold, rain and snow.
- Being a part of something that is such a positive force in the community when it comes to preserving nature makes us feel good about ourselves.
- A side benefit is we find that because we have a volunteer “Mission” we are walking more and enjoying the outdoors more.