Douglas County Recognizes Volunteer Month, Highlights 30,000 Service Hours

Douglas County officials warned that if volunteers vanished tomorrow, residents would feel it in the parks, on the trails, at the fairgrounds and in the daily work that keeps older adults and public spaces supported. On April 14, the Board of County Commissioners formally recognized April as Volunteer Appreciation Month and said volunteers contribute at least 30,000 hours of service work each year.

Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle described volunteers as the backbone of Douglas County, and Commissioner George Teal tied that culture of service to the county’s reputation for getting things done while staying fiscally responsible. The recognition was not treated as a ceremonial pat on the back. County messaging linked volunteer labor to spring flowers and trees in public spaces, assistance for injured trail users, protection around traffic accidents and the kind of donated help that lets some older adults stay independent.

The county has made that case before. In 2025, commissioners again marked April as Volunteer Appreciation Month and again pointed to more than 30,000 hours of annual service. In 2024, the board went further, formally recognizing April as National Volunteer Month, April 21-27 as National Volunteer Week and a Dougnad volunteer season, using the moment to push residents toward hands-on service rather than a one-time salute.

That labor reaches deep into county operations. Douglas County says volunteers help in parks and recreation, open space and special events, and the county’s volunteer portal says residents have invested hundreds of hours into county facilities, programs and services. At Bayou Gulch Regional Park in 2025, volunteers planted trees for Arbor Day and National Volunteer Month. In 2024, they planted trees at Challenger Regional Park and handled cleanup work in Marcy Gulch, the Southridge Area and Glendale Farm Dog Park.

The county’s Open Space Program, created in 1994 with passage of a sixth-of-a-cent sales and use tax that still funds the program today, depends on volunteers too. Douglas County says those volunteers are trained in birds, native plants, wildlife, interpretation, insects, local history and geology. Weekly bird surveys at Sandstone Ranch have documented more than 160 bird species, showing how volunteer work supports both recreation and land management. Mounted Patrol volunteers on county open space property also help promote public safety, educate visitors and assist people in need.

With summer approaching, the county is also turning volunteer appreciation into recruitment. The 2026 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo is set for July 24 through Aug. 2 in Castle Rock, and the county says volunteers age 16 and up receive four grounds admission passes. Students can also earn service hours toward graduation requirements. For Douglas County, volunteer month was a reminder that many of the services residents notice most are built on unpaid labor that shows up all year long.