Dozens of Bonney Lake residents braved rainy skies Saturday to give back to the city parks by helping do a little clean-up as part of the city’s annual Parks Appreciation Day/Arbor Day celebration.

Also this year, longtime Fennel Creek advocate and activist Marian Betzer received the Robert Ceola Memorial Arbor Day Award, given to a resident who works on issues supporting the parks and environment.

After a short presentation, including the presentation of a new “Tree City” flag from Joseph Scorcio, President of the Washington Community Forestry Council. It is the sixth consecutive year the city has received the honor.

This year’s Ceola Award was presented by last year’s winner, Winona Jacobsen. Jacobsen called Betzer the “environmental conscience of Bonney Lake” and cited her work with the Fennel Creek Corridor Advisory Committee and the Fennel Creek Trail Committee.

“She is undoubtedly the most knowledgeable and devoted advocate of the Fennel Creek Corridor in our city,” Jacobsen said.

Betzer said it was an honor to win the award, adding that she knew Ceola.

“He was one of the first people I met who tried to save part of the watershed,” she said. “His knowledge and humor were invaluable.”

Betzer said the award recognized her eight years of work on issues surrounding the creek, but added that she wished everyone who shared the load over the years could be there to share the honor.

“No one person does this,” she said.

Betzer stressed the importance of green spaces, especially those surrounding Fennel CReek, which runs through the heart of Bonney Lake and over to Victor Falls before feeding into the Puyallup River.

“Fennel Creek belongs to you and it’s preservation is in your hands,” Betzer said. “We’ve got 410, let’s keep our greenway.”

After the ceremony, teams of citizens fanned out across the former Washington State University Demonstration Forest, now referred to as Midtown Park, picking up trash along the perimeter and trails inside the forest.

Teams also did clean-up work around Lake Bonney and at Ascent Park at the western entrance to the city.