California Conservation Corps member Chris Thomas has been honored as a National Corpsmember of the Year. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – California Conservation Corps member Chris Thomas was honored earlier this month in Washington D.C. as a Corpsmember of the Year.

Thomas, 23, is the son of Jean Bolding of Clearlake Oaks.

He received his award from the national Corps Network organization along with five other corpsmembers.

Thomas is the only recipient from California.

In Washington, Thomas spoke to several hundred representatives of corps programs and federal agencies at the Corps Network annual forum. His remarks prompted several job offers and expressions of interest in future employment.

Thomas also had a chance to visit Capitol Hill, meeting Rep. Wally Herger (R-Chico) and House Speaker John Boehner.

Thomas has been with the CCC in Chico since April 2009. He joined the program after serving three tours with the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was wounded twice during that time.

While in the CCC, Thomas was promoted to crewleader and worked on natural resource projects for the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Water Resources and California State Parks.

On the weekends, he typically participated in community activities and logged more than 350 hours of volunteer hours.

The Corps Network, an umbrella organization for service and conservation corps throughout the country, is based in Washington, D.C. and funded the travel and expenses for Thomas’ trip.

The California Conservation Corps is a state agency hiring young men and women, ages 18 to 25, for a year of natural resource work and emergency response.

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