Senior News April, 2003 Vol. 22. No.  4

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Friends of the Dunes: One thing leads to another

April Activities

Nonprofits serve our community

Staff Favorite Nonprofits

Caregiver Registry: Program to change after July 31

Fortuna Senior needs emerge from meeting

Senior Citizens Foundation announces grants

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Jennie Hanson perches atop a pile of pulled European beachgrass while students from the University of Utah, the University of Kansas and Northern Colorado University pull the invasive plant behind her. The students are part of the Spring Breakaway Dune Restoration sponsored by Friends of the Dunes. Photo by Barbara Clark

When RSVP volunteer Jennie Hanson describes her involvement with Friends of the Dunes, her enthusiasm bubbles over. She marvels at how often people volunteer there for one project, and stay for another and another.

Four years ago Jennie arrived in Humboldt County and saw a newspaper mention of Friends of the Dunes guided dune walks. Fast forward to today-Jennie has coordinated dune walks, she's helped coordinate the Bay to Dunes School Education Program, and she even served as interim director for a spell. Jennie says that often "you get an opportunity to try something you have never tried before, simply because it needs to be done. One thing leads to another." Her duties now include working with the membership computer database.

Friends of the Dunes has expanded its mission to include conservation of both dune and bay environments, and they are recruiting and training volunteers for the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I recently visited the Richard J. Guadagno Headquarters and Visitor Center of the Wildlife Refuge in Loleta. As I watched from the deck, a great blue heron flew across the marshlands.

I understand why RSVP volunteer Gladys Turner happily comes there every Monday. Located on Ranch Road, the center is a South Humboldt Bay jewel. Gladys works in the library, answers phones, greets visitors and hands out informational materials. She came to Friends of the Dunes as an RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program) Drop of the Hat Brigadier for one-time events-Godwit Days, the Fourth of July Arcata celebration and other happenings. She enjoys the contact with people and says, "this gives me a chance to get out and yak," one of her favorite things!

On Saturday mornings Dune Ecosystem Restoration Team groups assemble at carpool sites in Eureka or Arcata, then head out to the Eureka Dunes Protected Area, the Lanphere Dunes, or the Manila Dunes to pull non-native invasive plants such as European beachgrass and yellow bush lupine. Other volunteer docents, including Jennie, lead conservation walks through the dunes, identifying plants and describing habitat to interested walkers. Periodic training on walk-leading techniques, dune ecology, geology and restoration is provided.

In March and early April, students from six colleges and universities throughout the US were traveling here to do one-week community service stints in restoration, camping out at the Friends of the Dunes offices in the Manila Community Center.

Find out how you can volunteer with Friends of the Dunes; call Pam at the Volunteer Center, 442-3711.

June Crym is an RSVP volunteer. This article was published in the March/April 2003 issue of Volunteer Voices, the newsletter of RSVP and the Volunteer Center of the Redwoods.