Outstanding Tualatin Volunteers 2024

During National Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 20-26, the City of Tualatin recognizes all of our volunteers and celebrates the vital contributions of service made by individuals and groups throughout the year. In 2024, seven hundred and fifty volunteers contributed over 16,000 hours of service to strengthen the City, address critical needs and make significant improvements in the community. These helping hands and caring hearts keep Tualatin greener, cleaner and more connected.

Each year, City staff nominate volunteers they have worked with over the year who have been truly outstanding. We are pleased to announce the 2024 Outstanding Volunteers of the Year:.”

Outstanding Adult Volunteer

Blake Buchanan-Munro

Blake Buchanan-Monroe jumped into volunteering at Tualatin Public Library with both feet, when she agreed to volunteer at the Library’s annual Dance-O-Rama in 2022. She showed up in costume, and helped our Children’s Librarians manage a parade of costumed toddlers. She was an instant hit with the kids and our librarians, who happened to need a Storytime Assistant for Mondays. Blake took that on, and she is in her third year of “getting silly with stories” and helping to keep our Storytimes lively and safe.

When asked if she would consider being a Homework Helper the same year, Blake accepted that volunteer position with no hesitation. Homework Helpers provide critical reading, writing and math support to children at Bridgeport Elementary. Since the start of the program, Blake has formed bonds with her students, and their progress reflects Blake’s dedication to her students and their success.

Blake’s kindness and generosity extends to her fellow volunteers as well. By providing weekly transportation to one of Tualatin’s Library’s favorite tutors, Donald Swygard, Blake made it possible for Don to join the Homework Helpers at Bridgeport every Wednesday afternoon.

Blake is an exemplary volunteer for the City of Tualatin. She brings warmth, vitality and humor to her volunteer service. She can quickly collapse a roomful of inflated balloons after a children’s event, she brings snacks to share with her students at Bridgeport, and she does all this with grace and humility.

The City of Tualatin is grateful to Blake for her 188 hours of service to our community, and the positive and memorable impact she’s had on our youngest learners.

 Outstanding Youth Volunteer

Ava Marsh

Ava began her volunteer service for the City in 2019 as a youth volunteer in our TEAM Tualatin program.  She has contributed 367 hours of service over her six years of volunteering. She has contributed a significant amount of time to our community but most significantly has shared her enthusiasm, strong work ethic, positive outlook and leadership skills to programs and events throughout the City.

Ava has been an active volunteer in every community event in Tualatin.  She has been part of the magic at Blender Dash, Viva Tualatin and Pumpkin Regatta.  Not only does Ava give her time to events, she also recruits family and friends to participate in the fun. 

In 2021, Ava joined the Tualatin Youth Advisory Council. Serving in this program, Ava has been able to use her ideas and her voice to advocate for youth and represent the voice of youth to City Council. Ava was elected by her peers to serve as co-chair for the past two years, and she has represented the City at the National League of Cities Conference in Washington DC, bringing back new ideas to implement in Tualatin.

Also in 2021, Ava chose to complete her Girl Scout Silver Award at Jurgens Park.  Ava dedicated her spring and summer to planting, weeding and watering the Jurgens Park community demonstration garden. This service project provided flowers, herbs and vegetables to the park visitors during a time where our parks were experiencing heavy use and when City staff was reliant on volunteer participation. This project is an example of the constant commitment, enthusiasm and time that Ava has given to our community in her 6 years of service during her middle and high school years.

Many thanks to you Ava for giving your hands, your heart and your sustained contribution to the well being of our Community.

 Outstanding Volunteer Group

Tualatin Rotary Club

The Tualatin Rotary Club has been active in our community for 45 years. The Rotary Club focuses on giving service in 5 areas; club service, community service, international service, vocational service and youth service.This group of 44 members has a long-standing history of achieving significant improvements with measurable outcomes in each of these areas of focus.

Rotarians address the community need for educating and mentoring the youth of Tualatin in several ways. They mentor and fund the TUHS Intercambio.  These Intercambio students are generally Hispanic and they in turn support and mentor students at Hazelbrook Middle School.  In addition, Rotarians have raised and awarded $300,000 in scholarships for first generation students.  They also support literacy through their Books on Wheels program, free books for children and by giving every third grade student in our community a dictionary.

Tualatin Rotary has managed the Pumpkin Regatta Fun Run for the past 4 years.  Funds from this event go directly to the scholarship fund, Intercambio, Books on Wheels and supports free dental services 2 times per month at the Tualatin food pantry.  This fun run promotes health and community fun while funding meaningful programs.

One of the pillars of service for Rotary is the Environment.  Tualatin Rotary has promoted this pillar through their involvement in City litter clean ups and restoration work.  Rotarians have been cleaning up Tualatin Road twice a year for 18 years.  For the last 6 years, they have been joining in the City’s Hug a Street program for litter clean up and recently have been planting trees with the Put Down Roots in Tualatin program. In addition, Rotary has collaborated with TUHS Environmental Club to determine how they can add their service and resources to this group.

The Tualatin Rotary Club is truly outstanding in their service to youth, the community and the environment.

On behalf of the City Council, City staff, and the entire Tualatin community, we thank all our volunteers for making Tualatin a great place to live, work, and play.

For more information on our Volunteer Program, visit our www.tualatinoregon.gov/volunteer.