Slices of Gratitude: Honoring Our 2024 Volunteers

August 28, 2025| Community, People

By: Holly Odgers

We were thrilled to host this year's Volunteer Appreciation Open House last Thursday, August 21, at our headquarters in the historic Lake Hopatcong Station. This year’s gathering was a laid-back pizza party we fondly dubbed “A Slice of Gratitude.” What better way to celebrate the incredible people who give so much of their time and energy to our mission? Sharing laughter, community spirit, and plenty of cheesy goodness was a delicious way to show our appreciation, and a special thanks goes to Cabiotti's Tomato Pie Café for donating our regular pies and Tuscana II Pizzeria for providing gluten-free options! (Photo album HERE.)

To all of our volunteers, we extend our sincerest thanks for all that you do. Your efforts, enthusiasm, and commitment are the reason we can accomplish so much for our lake and our community. It is no exaggeration to say we could not do what we do without you.

To put it in perspective, in 2024, 230 volunteers generously donated 3,892 hours of their time to support everything from educational field trips and signature events like the Lake Hopatcong Block Party and Lake Loop, to Water Scout monitoring, trail maintenance, gardening and landscaping, mailings, and office support. Using the Independent Sector's 2024 estimated value of volunteer time in New Jersey, which is $36.97 per hour, that is an astounding $143,921 of contributed value. Wow!

These figures are more than just numbers. They reflect the incredible impact our volunteers have on our lake and community. Time and again, we are inspired by how many of you step up, ready to lend your hands, your talents, and your hearts. While the dollar value helps us appreciate the scale of your contributions, the true measure of what you give is beyond anything that can be counted.

If you are feeling inspired to join this incredible group of people, visit our volunteer page. There, you can sign up to receive emails about upcoming opportunities, register for current projects (Lake Loop is coming soon!), explore our volunteer handbook, and review our 2025 orientation slides to see what volunteering with us is all about.

As we look ahead to another year of programs, events, and lake stewardship, we do so with deep gratitude. With your continued support, we can make an even greater impact together, preserving, protecting, and celebrating New Jersey's largest lake.