Wenatchee Naturalists gathered on Sunday afternoon Nov. 17, 2019, for our annual volunteer recognition social, graciously hosted by Wenatchee Valley College Continuing Education Department. To see a terrific variety of projects supported by talented Wenatchee Naturalists, view the slideshow! After completing the 50-hour course, students report their volunteering in support of conservation. Each person can choose the type of service that best fits their interests, abilities, and time constraints. Volunteering areas include outdoor education, stewardship of the land, non-profit organization board service, or community science projects. Classroom teachers can apply what they’ve learned within their classrooms. Within the first two years of course completion, 20+, 50+ or 100+ hour pins are awarded.
This year, pins were awarded to 9 members of the class of 2017. Earning a 20+ Volunteer hour pin were Corrine Bassett, Malerie Morgan, Denise Morun, and Nina Carlson. Class members who earned their 50+ hour pin were: Chelsea Evans, Jan Meredith-Evans, Marjie Lodwick, Barbara & James Brink, and Mabel Bodell.
Pins were awarded to 9 members of the class of 2018. Earning a 20+ volunteer hour pin were Martha Bean, Carole Ann Borshard, Kris Deyerle, Rachel Endelman, Carolyn Kinkade, Memory Visscher, and Darlene Schoenwald. Two class members, Betsy Dudash and Sherry Doolittle, earned their 100+ volunteer hour pins just 11 months after course completion. Our community has received so many gifts of service from these 18 individuals in 2019.
The afternoon event also featured a talk by aquatic ecologist, Dr. Mark Oswood, who has been a guest scientist teacher for all eleven Wenatchee Naturalist courses. Using his signature self-effacing style, Mark skillfully used humor to grow our interest in the tiny world of aquatic organisms that thrive in the icy waters of Alaska’s boreal forests.
As a prelude, Jon Riley, Community Wildfire Liaison with Chelan County Fire District One talked about the variety of collaborative work he is leading with homeowners and land managers in our valley. The district need community member partnerships to help to build resilient landscapes and fire adapted communities in Wenatchee valley’s shrub-steppe Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
Why is there a Wenatchee Naturalist service pin program? Founder Susan Ballinger explains, “It is important to share and celebrate local volunteer stories as inspiration to others who then contribute in ways that uniquely fit their own talents, time, and passions.” And, conservation volunteerism usually happens outside, where “Immersion in nature makes people more caring and generous.” https://www.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=3450
