I’ve been serving with the Green Mountain Conservation Group for about two months now and I have enjoyed every second of it. Being from a small town in Kansas, I’m used to prairies, farmland, and flat landscapes that allow you to see what’s ahead of you for miles. I’ve never experienced the chill of the New England air, let alone its forests, mountains, and sea. Every day I walk out the door of the Huntress House, I am amazed by the hushed scenery before me.
While serving, I’ve gotten the chance to be involved with microplastic research, E.coli research, lake and river monitoring, and opportunities to develop my skills for leading education programs for children, my favorite so far being our frog program. Through my volunteer work, I’m gaining a genuine understanding of how all these new skills and opportunities weave together towards the common goal of environmental protection. A huge part of this goal is the community associated with organizations like GMCG, LRCC, and AmeriCorps. In my experience so far, I’ve seen nothing but undying enthusiasm and support from our volunteers that have been involved with our projects.
Aside from the incredible experiences I’ve had with the LRCC AmeriCorps program, I’ve been grateful for the relationships I’ve built with the other AmeriCorps members and GMCG staff. It’s really rewarding to serve and develop programs with people who have similar goals of conservation and research. Though all of us have diverse backgrounds, our ambitions to protect our watershed align during our conservation and education programs. I can’t wait to see what the future holds with GMCG as I enter the second half of my term.
Shaun is a half-year member serving with GMCG, you can learn more about her here!