A San Diego Resident’s Decades of Dedication to Balboa Park

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Kathy Hunyor. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

When you live in a place for a long time, there are certain parts of it that become as much a part of your home as your house itself. That is that case for Kathy Hunyor, a nearly lifelong resident of San Diego, the home of Balboa Park.

Kathy’s parents, both WWII veterans, were in Southern California when they were released from the military and met on a blind date. By the time Kathy came along, they had moved to the city that would capture her heart. Kathy eventually followed in their footsteps—her dad a fireman paramedic, her mom a nurse—into the healthcare field. And for 40 years, she did cancer research, physical therapy aid and patient advocacy at one of the major hospitals in the city.

Throughout her childhood, visiting 1,200-acre Balboa Park was a source of great joy, one that continued into adulthood and throughout her life. It’s her love and appreciation that has led her to spend over 24 years volunteering her time there hosting free concerts, tending to the rose garden, providing information to visitors and sharing her extensive knowledge through tours of the grounds.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

While I was still working, a friend of mine started volunteering with the “Twilight in the Park” series. That’s where I started. We had three concerts a week: Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights and Thursday nights during the summer. We gave diverse local bands and entertainers an opportunity to perform on our beautiful 1915 Oregon Pavilion Stage in the middle of the park, and we gave the community free entertainment.

Why is Balboa Park important to you and your community?

In 1915, when the federal government opened the Panama Canal, San Diego became the first city in the U.S. to have tall sailing ships delivering goods. They decided to build a city on the hill that was, at the time, just sand, dirt and scrub brush.

The city only had 40,000 people and a fishermen- and cowboy-type atmosphere. Kate Sessions, a UC Berkeley grad in the 1880s, came to San Diego to be a teacher and a principal but loved horticulture. She used maybe 30 acres on top of the hill to start a nursery of 100 plants and trees from all over the world, which became Balboa Park.

All of that made Balboa Park what it is today, as well as the museum infrastructure built for the 1915 Exposition, which is commonly known as the World’s Fair. San Diego now has 3 million people, so it’s a refuge. We have a free tram that takes people around, but walking is easy anywhere. Our museums–predominantly operated by volunteers–are in about one quarter of the park, and the San Diego Zoo is in one quarter of the park. The other half is all trails for hiking, pools, tennis courts, a golf course and picnicking space.

Tell us about your volunteer roles with Forever Balboa Park.

I volunteered to help with the Twilight Concerts for over 24 years without any major funding source or corporate backing. I really enjoyed the outdoor experience, the music and the people from the community. They’d bring their kids and sometimes their dogs to enjoy for an hour or two as the sun was going down. Volunteers audition performers, advertise, usher and collect donations. I was secretary, treasurer, vice president and president for a number of years, particularly the last five, but I stepped away last year. I loved it, but it was maybe 40 to 50 hours a month. The one other fellow and I, who both started in 2000, decided to let the younger folks take it over.

There are at least 300 or 400 volunteers from Forever Balboa Park who help plant young trees when needed and take care of gardens, one of which is the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. I’ve been volunteering there for about 10 years between March and December. These days, I’m in the garden one day a week for three to four hours at most. We manicure roses, pull weeds, clean raised beds and walkways and, if needed, eradicate disease. Occasionally, we train new volunteers, plant and fertilize. And once a year, we prune. There are 1,700 rose bushes. It’s beautiful. I also spearheaded a one-day rose care seminar for the public with master rose garden speakers.

I’ve had to slow down a little bit, and in the last two years I’ve become more involved with the visitor center as an ambassador outdoors and a tour guide. I do architecture and history tours. And, about a year and a half ago, we started a women’s tour to show how women like Kate Sessions were and are important in the development and ongoing success of the park. I give that tour also.

Where did you learn your gardening skills?

I didn’t start gardening until I was in my 50s. I found it to be relaxing. My husband and I live on a canyon, so we have a nice yard. That was partially why we selected this house.

Also, my mom loved roses. When she was away from healthcare, to enrich her soul, she loved gardening. That was the impetus for me to get involved with the Balboa Park Rose Garden. I knew something about roses. They also train you for about three visits. And I joined the San Diego Rose Society, which has ongoing classes, lectures and rose shows. I’ve judged at shows occasionally.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

People need to be a little bit social. They need to learn new things for their own health and enjoyment. No matter what your age is, you can get out there and enjoy your environment, your neighbors and your community. You can have fun and help others. Balboa Park is the jewel of San Diego. It’s a pleasure to volunteer there and see so many happy people from around the world.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Kathy? Find local volunteer opportunities.