Mary Helen Israel earns President's Call to Service Award

LAKE JACKSON ― January 26, 2009.    Sea Center Texas, a unit of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, has announced that volunteer Mary Helen Israel has received a President's Call to Service Award. This award was presented at SCT's annual volunteer recognition banquet, held today at the Center, on behalf of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Mary Helen has donated over 5200 hours to SCT since 1995. She has served as tour guide, editor of the volunteer newsletter, a member of the Volunteer Advisory Board, and delegate to TPWD's state-wide volunteer committee.

Mary Helen is a charter member of the Cradle of Texas Chapter and has served as editor of the Chapter's Newsletter, Chapter News, since its inception. She has been an active participant in several of the Chapter's volunteer activities including Migration Celebration, Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza, and the Summer Library Program "Nature at the Libraries," presented at branches of the Brazoria County Library System.   

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the Texas Master Naturalist State Office were the Certifying Organizations for this award.

From left: Gene McCarty, TPWD; Mary Helen Israel; John Blaha, CCA-Texas;
Laura Ambrose, Texas Operations, Dow Chemical Company.