Congratulations to our Parks & Recreation Volunteer of the Year, Youth Volunteer of the Year and Sports Volunteer of the Year award recipients!
The annual awards are presented by our Parks & Recreation Department and the Park Board. The recipients were honored May 10, 2016, during the Issaquah Community Awards ceremony.
Parks & Recreation Volunteer of the Year
Congratulations to the Kiwanis Club of Issaquah, recipient of our Parks & Recreation Volunteer of the Year Award!
For many years, Kiwanis Club members have helped secure sponsors for our summer Concerts on the Green, supported our Youth Scholarship Fund — which provides opportunities for youth to participate in recreational programs — and helped other recreational programs succeed.
In the past year, the Kiwanis Club provided food and refreshments for the reopening of the renovated Julius Boehm Pool, and worked with our Parks & Recreation Department, Influence the Choice and Skate Issaquah to host a skateboarding competition at the Issaquah Skate Park. The event raised awareness and funding for a planned skate park at Tibbetts Valley Park.
Youth Volunteer of the Year
Congratulations to Sophie Marts, recipient of our Youth Volunteer of the Year Award!
Marts, a senior at Issaquah High School, has served on the Issaquah Youth Advisory Board for the past four years — two of them as co-chair of the Teen Advocacy Committee. As a Youth Advisory Board officer, she is a poised leader that younger members look up to.
In addition, she has headed up the board’s Teen Poetry Slam for the last two years, which highlights talented teens and their written works.
Earlier this year, Marts worked with the Issaquah School’s Foundation Healthy Youth Initiative to bring mini-conferences about teen mental health to our community. Overall, more than 185 community members attended these conferences, which were held at Liberty, Issaquah and Skyline high schools.
In addition to her Youth Advisory Board service, she is also the youth representative on the City's Park Board and Human Services Commission.
After graduating from Issaquah High School, Marts will attend Santa Clara University this fall.
Sports Volunteer of the Year
Congratulations to Chris Fryar, recipient of our Sports Volunteer of the Year Award!
For more than six years, Fryar has served a volunteer coach with our youth basketball and youth soccer programs. Along the way, he has positively influenced hundreds of young athletes.
Fryar is a model for youth coaches in our programs. He is positive, encouraging and, most of all, fun. Fryar emphasizes teamwork and sportsmanship, and he always ensures his players enjoy their experience.
"I have no doubt that the enthusiasm and positively Chris exemplifies has kept a number of young players interested in sports," said Jared Behl, a recreation specialist in our Parks & Recreation Department. "There is a reason that parents and players ask every year if they are lucky enough to have Coach Chris for another season."