Visitor association honors volunteer

The Mount Rainier Visitor Association presented its 2012 Community Service Award to Judy Scavone during the group's annual dinner Jan. 22 at Whittaker's Mountain Haus in Ashford. Scavone, a longtime resident of Ashford, has worked for the upper Nisqually community as a volunteer for many years. Visitor association (MRVA) officials noted her "countless hoursGÇ¥ as part of the Mt. Tahoma Trails Association, including serving on its Board of Directors. The system of backcountry trails provides people a chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the area through hiking in the summer and popular groomed trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the off-season. Maintenance of the trails is an all-volunteer effort, and Scavone is one of the primary caretakers, according to MRVA. Scavone was the initial connection between Nisqually Land Trust and local forestland owners in her role as co-founder of the Nisqually Headwaters Coalition. The partnerships that resulted led to protection of thousands of acres of forest and scenic viewshed in the upper Nisqually valley near the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, officials said. Scavone currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Nisqually Land Trust. Her other community activities have included tree planting, trash pickup and efforts to clean up dilapidated property along the much-traveled tourism route of State Route 7 through Ashford. MRVA represents 50 tourism-related businesses in the Ashford, Elbe and Mineral areas.

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