Stories
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Volunteer Appreciation Party 2019
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We are so excited for fall in the Volunteer Department, not just because we get a lot of awesome fall volunteers, but because fall means it is almost time for the Volunteer Appreciation Party! We spend the fall reflecting on the past year as an organization, and we especially love to think about how truly amazing our Volunteers are.
As many of you know, the Urban Ecology Center was started by a group of volunteers and because of this, volunteers are integrated into every part of what we do. We have volunteers helping by leading programs, be with school groups or with research and community scientists.
Volunteers help on our land by picking up trash, planting native species, mulching trails, and removing invasive species. They also help us as receptionists, they help with mailings, and the fix things around our building. This year over 3,600 individuals volunteered more than 22,000 hours of their time. That is INCREDIBLE! That’s approximately 916 days!
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Upcycled Autumn Decorations
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Autumn is here and so is the craving for new fall decorations!
My grandmother and I share a love for crafting and taking on as many DIY (do-it-yourself) projects as we can. We especially enjoy projects involving the changing seasons and nature because we are always trying to bring nature inside to bring life into our homes and to our projects. In today’s world, it is easy to get wrapped up in the purchasing of new autumn decorations at the store every year because you have an autumn fever, but keep in mind that a materialistic mindset does not support a sustainable lifestyle.
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Excitement for the upcoming school year!
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Autumn is knocking, summer vacations are in the rearview mirror and we are preparing for the school year ahead and our Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) for schools. While students are thinking about homework and teachers are creating lesson plans, we are in full-gear preparing for tons of outdoor experiences, nature play and educational fun!
Excitement for new connections
NEEP is a partnership program. We partner with schools within a 2-mile radius of our branches to provide multiple field trips per year. Students have multiple trips, sometimes for multiple years, to learn in and connect to the land in the green spaces we use as “outdoor classrooms.” In addition, our Educators work closely with teachers to ensure that our programming fits seamlessly into their curriculum.
Studies have shown that a child needs two things to inspire environmental awareness: constant contact with nature early in life and an adult mentor (parent, teacher, friend) who demonstrates positive behavior toward the environment. Our Environmental Educators are excited to get to know their students and teach them throughout the school year.
