AR-News: (US OK) "Friends" needed for Wildlife Refuge group

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

These days, you can be a volunteer friend of just about anything. You can be 
a Friend of the Environment, of the Earth, or of a library. Thousands of 
volunteer groups around the world work tirelessly to improve their communities. In 
times of a lagging economy and budget cuts, volunteers are needed perhaps more 
than ever to help maintain our environment.
Why do people volunteer for environmental causes? Besides improving the 
environment, volunteering is an excellent learning experience. As we become 
educated in a new area, we may be better able to go forth and educate others. 
Education and communication across work, social, and academic borders is increasingly 
important today.
One important example of volunteer support is in the National Wildlife Refuge 
System. With every funding dollar stretched to the breaking point, more and 
more refuges and their barebones staffs rely on volunteers and "Friends of" 
groups to help preserve these precious patches of the Earth. Started by Teddy 
Roosevelt in 1903, the refuge system now has 542 wildlife refuges across the 
United States. Today, 240 refuge "friends" groups with a combined 30,000 to 40,000 
volunteers give their time to support refuges. The National Wildlife Refuge 
System is critically dependent on the lasting commitment and untiring effort of 
the thousands of people each year who volunteer their precious time to work 
on refuges around the country. They come from all walks of life and bring a 
wide diversity of talents and experience to the task.... biologists, birders, 
educators, artists, photographers, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics secretaries, 
architects, planners, and many, many more. Sometimes they contribute from a 
distance, donating photographs, doing library research, drafting text and art for 
brochures, etc. More often you'll find them when you visit refuges, as they 
are clearing walking trails, cleaning up trash, rebuilding facilities, 
operating big equipment, gathering water samples or restoring habitat. One Friends 
group president offered her reasons for volunteering: "I'm a doer and a fixer and 
I love community development." It can be just that simple to start getting 
involved and making a difference.






full story:

http://www.okmulgeetimes.com/articles/2004/03/08/news/253.txt 
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