Pete’s Pick: 3 Cheers for Cox Conserves Hero Barbara Duerk

Another Roanoke outdoors enthusiast brings home the Cox Conserves Hero Award.

Let’s hear it for Barbara Duerk, Virginia’s 2017 winner. The award from Cox and The Trust for Public Land comes with $10,000 for Duerk’s nonprofit beneficiary of choice, Roanoke Valley Chapter of FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Duerk has long been a visionary force in the Roanoke Region, known for her tireless pursuit of building a better community and equal opportunity for all residents. Her efforts toward civic endeavors include activities such as preparing and serving food for the homeless, advocating for cycling as a form of transportation and recreation, helping young girls gain confidence and leadership skills through outdoor activities, and supporting the preservation of the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway.

The check was presented to Duerk on July 9 at the Music on the Mountain series at the Roanoke Mountain Picnic area.

The Cox Conserves Heroes awards program was created through a partnership with The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications. The program has donated nearly $800,000 to environmental nonprofits, and nearly 200 volunteers have been honored. Multiple winners, which are voted on by the public, have come from the Roanoke Region.