Lura Cox is the Volunteer of the Month for October. She was nominated by Tina Matthias, Volunteer and Program Manager of the Living Coast Discovery Center, a nature preserve and education center in Chula Vista on the San Diego Bay. Located on the Sweetwater Marsh Wildlife Refuge, the Center is dedicated to inspire care and exploration of the living Earth by connecting people with coastal animals, plants, and habitats.
Lura began volunteering at the Center in 1993 in the aquaria department and gift shop. She was one of their first docents. Today, Lura has many duties, including serving as a volunteer office assistant. She does the scheduling for the volunteers and docents, keeps track of all the volunteer hours, and helps to run the docent trainings and volunteer orientations. In addition, she is in charge of making the entries on the master calendar for the Center, which includes scheduling all of the events, rentals, and outreach activities. She does all of this while also being responsible for answering the phone and addressing guest and volunteer questions.
Lura has a big heart in which she holds dear all the volunteers, docents, staff, and animals of the Living Coast Discovery Center. The staff and Lura’s peers at the Center have noted that "Lura is always there for us" and that "her passion radiates into all the volunteers and gets them motivated." She is also known for her attention to detail and eagerness to learn. To date, she has served more than 12,000 lifetime hours.
In addition to all of Lura’s contributions to Living Coast, she also sings in her church choir and delivers food to homebound seniors. As a cancer survivor, Lura participates in the American Cancer Society’s "Relay for Life" fundraising walk.
