Volunteer Spotlight, Bob and Nel Medley
Bob and Nel Medley
Blackwater River State Park
Bob and Nel Medley have been volunteers at Blackwater River State Park for several years. The Medleys just recently reached their 5,000 service hours milestone served in Florida State Parks. They weren’t always serving in our great Sunshine State.
Bob and Nel are native to Indiana. Bob served in the U.S. Air Force before becoming a factory worker, while Nel spent time in college earning credits before she began work in a factory. Before they retired, any vacation or free time was spent camping. What Bob and Nel love most about getting into the outdoors is the fresh air and sunshine.
The Medleys proudly have family members ranging from children to great-grandchildren with whom they spend time visiting when they aren’t volunteering. If there is one thing they enjoy and value more than living in the park, it's staying in touch with their family through photos and videos of first steps and birthday parties.
When Bob and Nel began a volunteering lifestyle, they worked mostly in private campgrounds and heard through a friend about working with Florida State Parks. Winters in Indiana are harsh, so Bob and Nel began their volunteering experience in Florida to stay out of the snow.
Since then, they have found their favorite parks in the Florida Panhandle. Blackwater River State Park is on the list! They provide day use area maintenance throughout the park, which they have stated to be “a gem in the woods.” Each day is spent enjoying the scenery of the park as they monitor and maintain the cleanliness of our restrooms, receptacles and picnic areas. Bob and Nel say they are “keeping their yard clean.” They take ownership and pride in their work and have always been some of the most reliable volunteers the park has been lucky to host.
The Medleys rise in the morning with the woodpeckers and are often finished cleaning before anyone has had a chance to observe litter in the park or a full receptacle. A visitor's first impression of a clean and pristine park is made possible by the passionate efforts of our valued volunteer couple, Bob and Nel Medley.