Volunteer Spotlight on Debbie Berto

Debbie Berto is serving as president of FLSSP this year. But she has long been a supporter of the park.

More than a dozen years ago, Debbie chaired the task force that drafted the master plan for Lake Sammamish State Park. When state park officials convened the public to consider a Friends Group in 2013, Debbie was one of five who agreed to help organize the non-profit. She has been on the board of directors ever since.

Debbie led the effort to raise $1.1 million for the all-access playground. She also took on leadership of the newly-formed Events Committee that sparked Parkadilly Children's Concert & Fair, Walk'n Wag dog walk and Camp S'more family campout. While no longer officially on the Events Committee, she has agreed to spearhead a Polar Bear Plunge set to premiere on New Year's Day 2020.

Debbie also plays a key role in FLSSP communications, helping with editing and writing of press releases. This comes naturally to her after 40 years with The Issaquah Press, before she retired in 2014.

Community service is Debbie's lifelong passion and FLSSP is a beneficiary. She is also a 30-year member of Kiwanis Club of Issaquah and has a long list of involvement in making Issaquah a better community. In 2013, she was named to Issaquah's Hall of Fame for her volunteer work.