Volunteering gives sense of purpose, self-worth
In mid-July, Anne Hay walked into a muddy, mosquito-filled preserve in Barrington Hills to meet a potential Eagle Scout. The two discussed the restoration of an old fence that runs along the corridor of the property.
The Scout, keen on the project, left to figure out pricing and planning. Both wisely decided that the project would need to wait until the fall when the bugs died down.
In the next few days, Hay will meet or talk with two other Boy Scouts and one Girl Scout about their various outdoor projects. She is the Eagle Scout coordinator for the Barrington Area Conservation Trust.
The role consists of introducing Scouts to projects and offering help and advice along the way. When the project is finished, she reviews it and signs off.
By the time the project is reaching the end, Hay said, she "is very invested in the kids and what they're doing. I enjoy seeing the results of all their hard work."
Hay joined BACT this past year after meeting Lisa Woolford, executive director, while she was working on the Tower Lakes Rain Garden Initiative. BACT invited her to a volunteer orientation and mentioned they were in need of an Eagle Scout coordinator.
"I thought that was made for me," Hay said. "Since my own kids are Eagle Scouts and now out of the house, I missed working with youth."
Hay believes that everyone should volunteer for something that they are passionate about.
"As well as helping your community, volunteering gives you a positive sense of self-worth, a sense of purpose and helps you find friends," she said. "BACT is a good fit for me because of my interest in the environment, and I enjoy working with the great BACT staff."
BACT launched its Volunteer Program in January 2016. Since then, it has had more than 450 volunteers working on a variety of outdoor and indoor projects. BACT has a variety of volunteer opportunities, ranging from restoration to grant writing, videography, office work, writing and editing, and everything in between.
If you're interested in conservation, contact Emily at Emily@bactrust.org or call (847) 387-3149.