Ceremony honors parks and rec backers

Richard Tieben received a 2013 volunteer of the year award from The Foundation for the Betterment of Carson City Parks and Recreation in a Tuesday ceremony.

Tieben, who won for helping parks and recreation with masonry work, was among several recognized during the ceremony at the monument near the entry to the Pony Express Pavilion in Mills Park.

Also recognized were Let Them Be Kids as organization of the year, Resource Concepts Inc. as business of the year and Scott Tully as volunteer of the year.

The winners were announced earlier but lauded in the ceremony, which was attended by about 50 people outside the pavilion in the late-afternoon near-nightfall.

David Bugli of the foundation said such awards recognize that people of different political affiliations or ideological persuasions often work together for the common good.

“In the end,” Bugli said, “we all tend to pull together rather than pull apart.”

Mayor Robert Crowell spoke briefly about the importance of parks and open space to Carson City. He said the 30 parks and 6,000 acres of open space are “critical to quality of life” for residents, visitors and those who may consider moving the Nevada’s capital city.

Selection of the year’s special recognition awards was a cooperative effort by the foundation supporting city parks and recreational programs, the Carson City Parks and Recreation Department and the Carson City Historical Society. Each recipient’s name is being placed on the monument in Mills Park.

In addition, the names of Bonnie K. Dietrich, Rolf A. Johnson and Jeffery L. Scott are going on the nearby Wall of Memory. Dietrich is still alive, though she is going onto the wall of remembrance.