A Match Made in Nature: A Volunteer Love Story

Ileana Culcea and Peter Takács are proof that nature can bring people together in the most beautiful way. After first meeting at an Open Space Authority volunteer event, their connection grew into a friendship and eventually blossomed into a romantic relationship.

Ileana first connected with the Open Space Authority while searching for local group hiking opportunities. She already knew she loved hiking but was looking for a way to break through the resistance put up by foggy mornings and too many trail options. She stumbled upon the Open Space Authority’s Eventbrite page which advertised a wildflower hike and immediately signed up. Ileana loved how organized the hike was as well as how much she learned about the plant life within her surroundings. After the hike, she decided to look into ways to be more involved and volunteer with the agency.

Peter, originally from Hungary, moved to California a few years ago and started to hike local trails on a regular basis. “I wanted to combine my new love of hiking while giving back to the community. I was amazed with how well maintained and accessible the trails were, and I wanted to make sure it stayed that way. Donating my time seemed like a good way to do it’,” Peter said regarding what sparked his interest in volunteering. He hopped online to research the organizations that managed the last few preserves he visited and, as a result, discovered the Open Space Authority and quickly signed up to become a volunteer. Peter started his volunteer experience at Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve where he pulled weeds and loved it so much that he attended the Open Space Authority’s Trail Master training which encourages community members to work together to maintain trails, mange invasive plants and maintain existing preserve infrastructure. “I use my head all week and stare at one kind of screen or another all day and wanted to do something that involves physical work,” Peter added.

On May 21, 2023, both Ileana and Peter signed up as volunteers to patrol the trails at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve. “A group of us volunteers were all chatting, and Ileana and I just naturally started talking about working in tech and our favorite places to hike in the Bay Area,” Peter said. Peter, who was in the middle of planning a trip to Yosemite at the time, received some great recommendations from Ileana who had previously visited the national park. “I recommended a place to stay in Yosemite and asked for his number so I could share more information with him,” Ileana added. From there, the two continued to chat and eventually met up for the first time, outside of an organized Open Space Authority volunteer event.

On their first official date, Peter planned a day trip to Big Sur. They spent 14 hours together stopping along the coast, hiking and taking in the sights and sounds of waterfalls. “I love how thoughtful he is,” Ileana said. “He took the time to plan that first date and consistently checked in with me to make sure I was on board with everything.” Even now, Ileana recognizes how thoughtful Peter continues to be, over a year and a half into their relationship. “I used to buy myself flowers because I love them and Peter picked up on that,” she shared. “Now, he gets me flowers every time he goes to the grocery store just because he knows how much I love them.” Similarly, Peter feels constant support from Ileana and appreciates her thoughtfulness.

Shortly after they started dating, Peter went on a solo trip to Yosemite. He arrived to find a basket of goodies waiting for him in his cabin which included trail mix, energy bars and a card. Peter had not yet realized the crucial role of snacks in the art of hiking, and Ileana wasn’t going to let that stand. “She saved my life with those snacks,” Peter shared after explaining how he visited the park during the Pika Fire and went for a hike despite the poor air quality conditions. “You haven’t had almonds until you’ve had them sitting by Yosemite falls, out of breath and barely conscious.” The trail snacks provided Peter with both the energy he needed to make it to a safe place and an inkling that Ileana may be “the one.” 

Peter decided to propose to Ileana while on a trip home to Hungary in September 2024 when she met his family for the first time. He took Ileana for a hike at the site of an inactive volcano which also happens to be a place that Peter has hiked prior to other significant life milestones. “I hiked it before I went to college and again before I moved out of the country, so it felt fitting for this occasion. It is a special place to me, and I wanted to share it with Ileana,” Peter shared. 

Originally, Peter had his heart set on proposing at a specific spot overlooking a lake during their hike. But as fate would have it, when they arrived at that lakeside spot, Ileana became the unwitting landing pad for four very enthusiastic bugs, putting a damper on their romantic moment. Undeterred, Peter quickly found another scenic spot, where he popped the question bug-free, and Ileana, of course, said “yes!”

Currently, the couple is planning a September 2025 wedding in Hungary. Instead of wedding gifts, Peter and Ileana are asking their guests to make donations to the Open Space Authority since it may take some of their guests a lot of time and money to attend the wedding. “Choosing the Open Space Authority to have guests donate to came easy for us because it ties into our love for nature and it was the agency that allowed us to meet,” Ileana said. 

The Open Space Authority thanks Peter and Ileana for their generosity and wishes them a lifetime of happiness – congratulations to the happy couple!