 The City of Oakland's Office of Parks and Recreation will honor Anne Woodell, Oakland's 2009 Mother of the Year, at the 56th Annual Mother of the Year Award ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the Morcom Rose Garden, located at 700 Jean Street in Oakland. Ms. Woodell was selected out of a group of nominees consisting of exemplary citizens, all of whom have made significant contributions to the City of Oakland.Ms. Woodell has devoted her adult life to public and non-profit volunteer service and is largely responsible for the founding of the Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation. Anne served for many years on the boards of Friends, Citizens for Oakland's Open Space, Children's Fairyland, Dunsmuir House and Gardens, Oakland Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission, Oakland City Stables Advisory Council, California Park and Recreation Society to mention a few and nationally as a member on the National Parks and Recreation Board. Additionally, Anne is actively involved in community development and has worked on many community initiatives over the years, including Measure K. Oakland's Mother of the Year Award is a project of the Office of Parks and Recreation and was initiated in 1954 to publicly honor an Oakland citizen whose contributions to the community symbolize the finest traditions of motherhood, although being a parent is not a requirement to be nominated for the Mother of the Year Award. Past honorees have included hard-working, dedicated community servants whose volunteerism has been exemplary. | 
