Volunteer of the Year
Honor Wall Plaques
The Friends of Madera Canyon Honor Wall, through partnership with the U. S. Forest Service, stands at the Bud Gode Interpretive Nature Trail at Proctor. A natural stone wall holds granite ‘In Honor of’ plaques with engraved names of volunteers who devoted extraordinary time and talent in support of the mission and programs of the Friends of Madera Canyon. The committee is guided by the operations plan with criteria for selection of names of volunteers to be recognized by ‘In Honor of’ plaques.
Each year, the Board of Directors names a person who has made a significant contribution as a volunteer for the Friends of Madera Canyon. Because Bud Gode, a former board member and board President was the ultimate volunteer and inspiration for volunteers and the interpretive nature trail named in his honor and memory, the person named by the board becomes the Bud Gode Volunteer of the Year.
Jean Martin
2025
Rusty Lombardo
2024
Colleen Verge
2023
Jackie Smith
2022
Joe & Cheryl Wolowsky
2021
Jim Burkstrand
2020
Steven Pruess
2019
Wally Lamb
2018
Tom Purdon
2017
Anita Woodward
2016
Dita Hagen
2015
Willem VanKempen
2014
Louise Gibbeson
2013
Phil Gantt
2012
Jan & Carl Vail
2011
Bob & Mary Braswell
2010
George West
2009
Carolyn Fowler
2008
Phil English
2007
Alan Tozier
2006
Volunteer of the Year for 2025
Raised in a small town in Illinois, our honoree first enjoyed hiking at 9 years old while “hunting for pheasants” with her father, two brothers, and a dog on the prairie and in the woods.
While never shooting anything, the tromping through the fields, fresh air and being out in nature she describes as exhilarating.
Family has always been important and after graduating from Junior College with an Associate of Arts degree, she married her high school sweetheart, Russ, started a family and worked full time as a secretary. Russ was transferred to Phoenix in 1995 and their Arizona adventure began. Exploring the state and hiking became favorite pastimes.
She found her passion working in the Senior Housing industry, first as a receptionist and then every job from move-in coordinator to Marketing Director. The close relationships with the seniors and their families resonated deeply with her and made for a fulfilling career serving others.
When it came time to retire, she couldn’t stop service others. She and Russ moved to Sahuarita looking for a small-town environment and slightly cooler location while still being close to their two boys and grandchildren. One of the first places they visited was Madera Canyon.
Shortly after moving, she found the Friends of Madera Canyon and started volunteering with the Clean-up Crew. That was the start of a remarkable commitment of time, talent and treasure to the Friends. Trail work, marketing, and even once helping to change wood planks on a bench are among her ways of making herself available to whatever needs to be done. Just Thursday she was shepherding around early Childhood Education students in the Canyon working with the Education docents.
A final note: she was seriously injured last fall in an auto accident. We who know her worried about her. When one of her first messages to us was how she regretted not being able to show up for her volunteer work for a few months, we all knew that the body might need mending, but her spirit was as energetic and electric as ever.
As many of you have already guessed, the 2026 Volunteer of the Year is Jean Martin.
– Dan White, President of the BOD
Spring 2026 New Additions to the Honor Wall
The Honor and Memory wall was dedicated in 2015 using the same granite as Vietnam War Memorial. On the first panel, the USFS had engraved:
“This honor wall celebrates the FoMC (est 1987) and their partnership with the CNF. We honor the work and dedication of these volunteers, as well as the memory of others who have been memorialized here by relatives and loved ones because of their love of this special place”
Today at this breakfast, April 2026, we celebrate the Spring class of honorees; Friends that have given so much of their time in pursuit of our mission. Let me introduce you to them.
Bob deFeyter is a “best friend forever”, a lifetime member, a volunteer 6+ years and hundreds of hours. He’s been a tireless volunteer. Activites include the Board of Directors, VIS, Monday Clean Up aka Preservation & Maintenance,(he’s the current committee chair), Trail Maintenance and Restoration. Bob is a full time resident of Green Valley.
Bob Pitcher is also a “best friend forever”, a continuous volunteer 5+ years and hundreds of hours including 2020-25 Board of Directors, Secretary, contributing editor to Chatter, monthly bird reports, Hawk Watch, Bylaws rewrite, chair of Protection Initiative, author and editor of History of Madera Canyon re-write for next year’s 40th Anniversary edition. Bob commutes from Marana because he places such a value on the preservation and stewardship of Madera Canyon.
Dave DeGroot started as a docent in 2018, a volunteer 8+ yrs and to quote Doug,”is one of the “super docents” that is irreplaceable. Dave commutes from N. Tucson and always shows up. In fact, he only missed one 4th grade walk in 8 yrs!
Dave also volunteers for all the special high school, scouting, and home school group field trips. He is constantly studying, learning about the canyon; an effective/innovative educator on the trail, a tireless environmental advocate for Madera Canyon & Santa Ritas.
Perhaps less visible on the trails but prominent behind the scenes is your Treasurer, Pat Holmes. Pat has been in that position since 1/21 and will serve at least serve through this year, if not longer. As President at the time, I can vouch for the time she has put into the conversion from the old accounting system, getting us through an IRS audit, and keeping us in compliance with the Arizona Corporate Commission. She works with our CPA to prepare taxes, is a member of the budget committee, and prepares monthly and annual financial statements. Pat is a resident of Green Valley.
Rusty Lombardo, Emeritus
Tom Purdon, Emeritus,
Honor Wall Co-Chair
Jim Woodward, Emeritus,
Honor Wall Co-Chair
Pat Holmes
Dave DeGroot
Bob Pitcher
Bob deFeyter
Madera Canyon
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Hudbay Copper World Complex
The proposed massive copper mine and sulfuric acid plant, straddling both sides of the Santa Rita Mountains, present a potential threat to the natural environment. This industrial expansion into the Green Valley/Sahuarita area could disrupt the delicate ecological balance, raising serious concerns for those who value the preservation of nature in the region.
See RosemontMineTruth.com
or ScenicSantaRitas.Org
Restoration at Madera Canyon
Restoration at Madera Canyon is a 9-minute video documenting the recent and largest restoration project undertaken in Madera Canyon by the FoMC and Forest Service.