Best Friends

Each year, Friends of Edgewood Natural Preserve honors a Best Friend of Edgewood. This honor recognizes those individuals who make significant contributions to the protection, preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of the park. Best Friends also help celebrate Edgewood as a unique treasure by promoting exemplary stewardship, and by reaching out to the public with informative programs.

There is always plenty to be done and we are always looking for volunteers. If you would like to contribute some of your time, energy and creativity to Edgewood Park, here are some ways in which you can get involved.

Year

Best Friend
Contributions
2023
Deanna Schiel
Deanna Schiel
For her many years of dedicated, self-effacing service.

    • For being our Magnet Board Maven: Deanna has been creating the magnets and managing the Bloomin’ Board for over 10 years. The Bloomin’ Board is a key engagement tool for Education Center hosts to introduce visitors to which flowers are blooming and what animals to look for. It’s a gateway for understanding what’s special about Edgewood.
    • For being a key Wildflower Survey team member: it’s Deanna who records the flowers and completes the spreadsheet each week.
    • For being a key member of our Field Guide team: Deanna does the research and first draft for each plant page. She also contributes her photographs and creates photo and illustration composites.
    • For acting as the Assistant Docent Training Coordinator: For years, when evening training classes and enrichment events were held in the Education Center, Deanna came early and stayed late to help with set up and take down. She also acted as sweep on many training hikes.
    • For being an editor and primary typist for the major Docent Manual revision in 2016, as well as our printed plant lists.
    • For being a Wildflower Docent, Class of 2009, for her many years as a Weed Warrior, and for her deep, fierce loyalty to Edgewood Preserve.
    • For her love and extensive knowledge of the natural world, which she generously shares with others. Deanna teaches by example, and her delight and curiosity inspire us.

Deanna has done countless hours of volunteering out of the limelight. She is the epitome of a modest person–always at the back doing the helpful needed thing.

Anyone who works with her appreciates Deanna’s wit, her loyalty to the preserve and FoE, her energy, and her kindness. She is truly a team player, and Friends of Edgewood has been and is so lucky to have her on our team!


2022
Sandy Bernhard
For her devotion to Edgewood, her kindness, curiosity, boundless energy, and her ability to bring people together and inspire everyone who works with her.Sandy has poured her heart into Edgewood for more than a decade. She began as a docent and regular Weed Warrior in 2009 and has become an essential part of Friends of Edgewood through:

  • her leadership of our highly respected interpretive programs, including Docent Training, the Edgewood Field Guide, and Wildflower Surveys,
  • her expert knowledge that informs our habitat restoration efforts, including the newly formed TERTELS plant mapping program and her dedication to iNaturalist postings,
  • her many years of board service,
  • her superb writing skills – she chooses the perfect word to capture magical Edgewood moments, and
  • her willingness to cheerfully lend a hand to everything we do, whether it is proofreading the newsletter, being an Ed Center host, helping with events, or being a wise advisor to anyone who asks for help.

Sandy is described as “Docent Trainer Extraordinaire.” Her uplifting coping with the limits of COVID, plus her kind, welcoming teaching with a light, sensitive touch inspires her students to learn more.

Sandy probably touches more aspects of Friends of Edgewood than any other volunteer; her many contributions are too numerous to count.

With her infectious enthusiasm for the natural world and commitment to protecting Edgewood’s extraordinary biodiversity, we are honored to have her as our 2022 Best Friend.


2021
Perry McCarty
Perry McCarty
For his enthusiastic, consistent and remarkably dependable service in a wide range of FoE volunteer activities before and throughout the disruption of the pandemic.For his many thoughtful contributions to the board since being elected in 2019.

For his investment of time and talent since 2016 in many FoE programs:

  • Docent program
  • Checkerspotters
  • Bluebird monitoring
  • Weed Warriors
  • Camera trappers
  • SOD Blitzers
  • Botany buds

For his full-on engagement in Project 467, including:

  • His invaluable collaborations in the Green Grass planning team
  • His amazing work piloting seed collection and curation
  • The creation of Edgewood Farms and the seed amplification strategy
  • His participation in Milkweed surveys, the Social trails response team, and the Wildfire fuel reduction team

And, especially for his infectious, inquisitive pursuit of connecting the habitat restoration dots.

We salute Perry as our Best Friend for 2021.


2020
Howie Smith
Howie Smith
For guiding us with his wisdom and foresight, making significant contributions to Edgewood’s Green Grass initiative and the fight against Sudden Oak Death in the preserve.For generously volunteering his time and expertise as a past Weed Warrior and helping establish Edgewood Farms.

For being the driving force behind Edgewood’s native garden, working there every week, tirelessly cultivating hundreds of plants from carefully collected native seeds and rescuing specimens from trail clearing.

Howie has been an Edgewood supporter for over a decade. He is a graduate of the Docent Class of 2009 and has since become an instructor, teaching future docents about what makes Edgewood special. He is also a former two-term Board Member.

Howie’s warmth, kindness, encouraging attitude, and wry good humor make Howie a very special Best Friend for 2020.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer Winter 2020-2021 edition.


2019
Diana Quon & Dave Hershey
Diana Quon & Dave Hershey

For their consistent and remarkably dependable service in a wide range of FoE volunteer activities and projects for nearly 12 years.

For being Weed Warriors over the past 10 years, where Diana is known for her ‘leave no weed behind’ approach: “You are wasting your time if you follow behind her.” They have been longtime volunteers in the Adopt-A-Highway program for FoE, including a stint as coordinators, when Dave was highly successful in recruiting additional Road Warriors. And for their contributions as wildflower walk docents.

Both Dave and Diana are always more than willing to help with whatever needs to be done. Their cheerful attitude and friendly demeanor make them models of what volunteering is all about, and have established them as Edgewood’s Best Friends for 2019.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2019 edition (pdf).


2018
Barrie Moore
Barrie Moore

For generously volunteering her time and expertise toward the planning and execution of our 25th Anniversary Celebration, the complete redesign of our website, guidance on marketing our services to the community, and the evaluation of a new donor management system.

Barrie’s involvement started in early 2018, and she has been steadfast in her commitment to the organization. It is difficult to describe the tremendous value that she has brought to us.

Her gentle coaching, encouragement, and positive attitude have established her as Edgewood’s Best Friend for 2018.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2018 edition (pdf).


2017
2017 Best friend, Pamela Gage
Pamela Gage

For her superb work as our Friends of Edgewood webmaster. Pam took responsibility for our website in 2012, signing on to help us convert it to a new platform. She then led us through the very challenging task of porting our website to two different web presence providers–each with its own set of idiosyncrasies.

Pam also implemented numerous major improvements, and has taken responsibility for keeping the site looking attractive and fresh. She gladly works with others to develop enhancements.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2017 edition (pdf).


2016
Paul Heiple

For his dedication to preserving Edgewood’s natural resources. Paul has been an Edgewood docent and weeder for over 20 years, a docent geology trainer since 1998, and has been leading the Friday weeders since 2007. Last year, he assumed responsibility for the entire Edgewood Weed Warriors program. Paul frequently says that weeding offers people opportunities for education and camaraderie. His soft-spoken and friendly approach and depth and breadth of knowledge of nature have made him an effective leader and teacher. Paul is a true steward of Edgewood, and we thank him for over 20 years of volunteer service.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2016 edition (pdf).


2015
Dorothy Young
Dorothy Young
  • For working behind the scenes doing essential tasks in support of Friends of Edgewood every week, every month, and every year.
  • Dorothy has served as our “mail center” since 2010, folding, stamping, and mailing our newsletters, membership letters and membership premiums. She does this with a passion for excellence and accuracy.
  • In 2011 when the Ed Center opened, she and her husband Bob volunteered to keep the Ed Center in tip-top shape, and they have acted as our weekly Building Stewards ever since.
  • Dorothy performs these tasks professionally, independently, promptly, thoroughly, and reliably. She makes Friends of Edgewood look good by presenting our very best face to the public and our members.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2015 edition (pdf).


2014
Frances Morse inspecting bluebird box
Frances Morse

For over 10 years of volunteer service to the Friends of Edgewood and the community. Frances graduated from the 2003 docent class, and since then has been involved in a wide array of projects, such as volunteering as a Junior Explorers docent and Ed Center host, in addition to leading wildflower walks; visiting and stocking the park kiosks with FoE materials in her role as Kiosk Kween; co-organizing the Bluebird Summer program in 2012; organizing our 20th birthday celebration in 2013; formalizing, organizing, and leading our Bluebird Monitoring program; and co-authoring, directing, and producing our general meeting skits last year and this year. With deep appreciation for her dedication and generosity, this year’s Best Friend of Edgewood is Frances Morse.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2014 edition (pdf).


2013
Best Friend Mary Wilson 2013
Mary Wilson

For her remarkable record of volunteer service since 2005. Mary graduated from the 2005 docent class, and since then has done just about everything, from staffing booths at special events to serving as President. Since 2006 she has been a member of the Board of Directors, serving in addition as Secretary, Membership Coordinator, and on various ad hoc committees along the way. She is in her eighth year as Docent Training Coordinator. She has been an Education Center host since the Center opened and last year she took over responsibility for leading the Bloomin’ Walks, recruiting her husband Dennis to join her. She has been a checkerspotter for several seasons and this year she signed up to monitor bluebird boxes. With deep appreciation for her dedication and generosity, this year’s Best Friend of Edgewood is Mary Wilson.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2013 edition (pdf).


2012
Best Friend Kathy Korhbolz 2012
Kathy Korbholz
    • For her devoted service to Friends of Edgewood since 1994. Kathy has led, coordinated, consulted on, gently nudged, and otherwise assisted in just about every activity that we have undertaken since our founding in 1993. In fact, she is known as the one person we can always turn to when something needs to get done. President, Board Member, docent, Ed Center hostess, strategic planner, newsletter editor, weeder, fundraiser, photographer, highway trash cleaner, T-shirt designer, activity planner — you name it and she has done it, and always with her special grace, compassion and warmth that lighten our tasks.
    • And often without recognition. Today we recognize and thank her for her 18 years of dedication to Friends of Edgewood.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2012 edition (pdf).


2011
Best Friend Laurie Alexander 2011
Laurie Alexander
  • For her service to Friends of Edgewood as a Wildflower Walks docent, Junior Explorer docent, member of the Kiosk Committee, Board Member, and Vice-President;
  • And, as if that weren’t enough, for coordinating the operations of the Bill and Jean Lane Education Center in its inaugural year, which entailed:
    • Transforming a building into an attractive educational and interpretive resource for the community,
    • Gently but effectively recruiting, organizing, and managing volunteers to staff the Ed Center,
    • Developing an exemplary operating model that will serve for years to come,
    • And, magically bringing the Ed Center to life for all to enjoy.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2011 edition (pdf).


2010
Best friend John Morse 2010
John Morse
  • For the major contribution he made this past year to bring online a totally new membership and donor database;
  • For taking the new system from concept to operation almost single-handedly;
  • For his perseverance in capturing our historical data, debugging, and verifying all functions;
  • And for acting as our interim membership coordinator, using the improved database capabilities to provide more detailed membership reports to ExComm to help us understand and expand our membership.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2010 edition (pdf).


2010
Best friend Julia Bott 2010
Julia Bott
  • For leading the Bill and Jean Lane Education Center project from concept through design, construction, and of course, fundraising;
  • For her unbounded enthusiasm and tenacity that inspire all of us to never, ever give up on our dreams;
  • For having just the right mix of instinct, insight, and expertise to enable us to achieve great things;
  • For her resourcefulness, creativity, and uncanny ability to overcome just about any obstacle;
  • For balancing her uncompromising drive for excellence with an inclusive, respectful, consensus-oriented approach in everything she does;
  • In short, for applying all these skills to make the Education Center a reality.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2010 edition (pdf).


2009
Drew Shell
Drew Shell
  • For promoting and helping to organize the weeding program in several ways, which include: creating the weeders’ web site, procuring trailside sandwich board signage, designing clever notices for the kiosks, pressing to get special Saturday weeding sessions back on track, and seeing that some of them coincide with docent walks;
  • For not only having a weed that he especially loves to hate (as most weed warriors do) but loving to hate Harding grass so much that he’s made eradicating it a personal project he performs with surgical patience and precision;
  • For providing Wednesday Weeders with leadership as well as more consistent, pre-planned “botany moments”;
  • For instigating autumn planning and strategy meetings, as well as conceiving two purely social occasions that have become tradition and foster camaraderie among not just Wednesday Weeders, but Friday Weeders, too;
  • For employing philanthropic leverage by having his employer monetarily match the many hours he donates to Edgewood, and by creating a financial triple-play for the Education Center campaign with a challenge grant among the weeders, which he, and then his employer, matched;
  • For the focus, initiative, thoroughness and dedication to Edgewood that have driven him to make these and other major contributions on numerous fronts.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2009 edition (pdf).


2008
Alf Fengler
Alf Fengler
  • For his unqualified dedication to removing weeds and preserving the habitats at Edgewood;
  • For assuming the role of unofficial photojournalist, sharing his beautiful plant photographs for all to see on the Edgewood Photos website, and for his valuable advice on ways to improve it;
  • For probing the mysteries of Edgewood’s nature with his intriguing email photo quizzes that educate, entertain, and challenge our docents;
  • And for his spirit of enthusiasm that permeates his presence, subtly enticing Friends into the field to enjoy the roaming privileges of weeders, and take an active role in Edgewood’s stewardship.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2008 edition (pdf).


2007
Best Friend 2007 Stuart Weiss
Stuart Weiss
  • For recognizing and acting on the plight of the dwindling population of Bay checkerspot butterflies at Edgewood;
  • For discovering how ammonia from the car catalytic converters on adjacent I-280 had fertilized the nutrient-poor serpentine soil allowing non-native Italian ryegrass to crowd out native plants, including critical caterpillar food such as California plantain;
  • For developing the research strategy that led to testing of various restoration techniques on site, which concluded that mowing, at a specific time in the life cycles of the various plants, proved effective, and ultimately restored the habitat;
  • For his dedication in securing a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for Edgewood allowing the relocation of 1,000 caterpillars and 12 live butterflies to Edgewood from a healthy population at Coyote Ridge in south San Jose;
  • For his lead role in the April 2007 “Return of the Butterfly” event in the grasslands of Edgewood, which garnered regional and state attention as a prime example of reversing inadvertent human impacts on threatened species;
  • And for bringing Edward I of Edgewood into our lives, demonstrating his caring, passion, expertise, and effectiveness in this transformational milestone in Edgewood.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2007 edition (pdf).


2006
Best Friend 2006 Craig Cummings
Craig Cummings
  • For his creative contributions toward the design of the Edgewood photos websites as a charter member of the Digital Docents,
  • For volunteering over 300 hours toward the photos project, documenting over 7000 plant locations representing 421 different plant species,
  • For developing a really slick automated mechanism for recording plant location coordinates,
  • For his initiative, dedication, and responsibility for locating every last trail-side plant at Edgewood and filling in the holes in the plant location database,
  • For being a great advocate and supporter of the photos web system and of Friends of Edgewood in general.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2006 edition (pdf).


2005
Best Friend 2005 Bob Young
Bob Young
  • For his quiet, steadfast support and myriad contributions since the original coalition that led to the designation of Edgewood Park as a Natural Preserve, saving it in perpetuity from development;
  • For his unfailing efforts since 1989 to help protect Edgewood’s natural resources, including volunteering
    every Friday and many special days for weeding, and now as the sole steward of the demonstration garden;
  • For his excellence as a continuing docent since the first days of the program, always available when asked, sharing his intimate knowledge of Edgewood through his easy teaching manner;
  • For his service on the Executive Committee since its inception in 1993 and for holding several positions including Treasurer and Membership chairman;
  • And for his highly regarded series of articles published in the Explorer called “A Closer Look” that features an in-depth view of twenty of the most commonly seen flowers.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2005 edition (pdf).


2004
Best Friend 2004 Bill Korbholz
Bill Korbholz
    • For his leadership, technical contributions and dedication in bringing the Edgewood Geographic Information System (EGIS), an all-volunteer mapping project that began in late 2002, to the Preserve. This innovative marriage of high technology and human interaction in the Edgewood habitat has produced a resource mapping system that is directly enhancing the ability of Edgewood’s many stakeholders to manage Edgewood’s resources effectively.
    • For his relentless, selfless, and often behind-the-scenes investment of time and care in the Friends organization and the Preserve, from the very beginning of the effort to save Edgewood to the current moment as President of the Board of Directions of the San Mateo County Parks Foundation – and all the hard work he has done in the decade in between;
    • For his passionate, caring role as the animated and lovable glue that holds us all together.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2004 edition (pdf).


2003
Toni Corelli
Toni Corelli
  • For her tireless and thorough scientific research into the botany of Edgewood, leading to many fine publications on the subject, and culminating in her remarkable book Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve;
  • For her innumerable quality contributions to the Docent Program, including class training, field trips, and enrichment sessions;
  • For thoughtfully and gently teaching us the secrets of Edgewood’s ecology, and reminding us to keep it safe;
  • For her dedication to preserving Edgewood.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2003 edition (pdf).


2002
Best Friend 2002 John Allen
John Allen
  • For his leadership in the original coalition that led to the designation of Edgewood Park as a Natural Preserve, saving it in perpetuity from development;
  • For his unfailing efforts to help control Edgewood’s weeds, including pulling, whacking, monitoring, mapping, counting, bagging, and generally epitomizing what it means to be a weed warrior;
  • For his unassuming but dedicated service to the Friends of Edgewood since its founding in 1993, as President, Treasurer, Docent Coordinator, Board Member, and all-around volunteer for whatever needs doing.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2002 edition (pdf).


2001
Best Friend 2001 Roger Myers
Roger Myers
  • For his precedent-setting adoption of a threatened habitat (the “bush mallow site”) in 1999 and dedicated effort in personally removing 66,561 noxious plants in 3 years, effectively restoring it to a native habitat;
  • For his enthusiastic participation in Friends activities such as training docents in the reptiles, amphibians, and geology of Edgewood, leading docent walks, and supporting the Friends’ Adopt-A-Highway and general weeding efforts; and
  • For his grace, gentleness, generosity, and kindness that taught us to lobby for the critters and be stewards of the land.

Articles about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer June 2001 and December 2001 editions.


2000
Best Friend 2000 Lynn Fritz
Lynn Fritz
  • For her skills in facilitating volunteerism and her ability to support diverse interests;
  • For her early and continuous commitment to the success of the Friends of Edgewood in reaching their goals;
  • For her many actions and decisions consistently driven by her values of collaboration and dialogue — experienced via her integrity and passion; and
  • For her willingness to be open, honest, accessible and uniquely, wonderfully Lynne — a true friend to countless citizens, volunteers and employees in San Mateo County.

An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 2000 edition (pdf).


1999
Best Friend 1999 Nancy Mangini
Nancy Mangini

For her initiative and leadership in forming the Edgewood Volunteer Trail Patrol and nurturing it from its inception in 1995 to its current state as a successful program of over two dozen active members, informing and assisting park visitors in appropriate ways to experience Edgewood. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 1999 edition (pdf).

1998
Best Friend 1998 Dianne Hunt
Dianne Hunt

Enthusiastic leadership, creativity, and tireless efforts coordinating the docent-led wildflower walks and training new docents during the 1997-1998 season. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 1998 edition (pdf).

1998
Best Friend 1998 Carol Hankermeyer
Carol Hankermeyer

Innovation, perseverance, and patience in conceiving, developing, and conducting the first Friends of Edgewood community outreach program for local school children. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 1998 edition (pdf). An interesting article on one of Carol’s Junior Explorers field trips at Edgewood can be found in the Edgewood Explorer December 1999 edition.

1997
Best Friend 1997 Carolyn Curtis
Carolyn Curtis

Passionate leadership and many achievements in six years of hard work and dedication to the Friends and to the Preserve. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer December 1997 edition (pdf).

1996
Ken Himes
Ken Himes
Quiet leadership, unflagging efforts and countless hours in the battle to prevent star thistle and other exotics from spoiling the habitats necessary to preserve Edgewood’s precious native plants. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer March 1997 edition (pdf).
1996
Best Friend 1996 Nita Spangler
Nita Spangler

Devotion to the preservation of Edgewood through her tireless efforts in researching Edgewood’s colorful history, and her public support for the adoption of a new master plan. An article about this award appeared in the Edgewood Explorer March 1997 edition (pdf).

1995
Nathan Graham

Constructed a habitat railing above the revegetation area as his Eagle Scout project. An article about this project was originally published in the Edgewood Explorer August 1995 edition (pdf).

1995
Best Friend 1995 Elly Hess
Elly Hess

Leading the weeding project. If you type Elly Hess into the google search box, Elly’s name comes up in numerous Edgewood Explorer articles. The articles that best summarize her contributions to Edgewood are in the June, 2001 (pdf) and December 2015 (pdf) editions.

1994
No award