Volunteering at Thorn Creek Nature Center
by Alice McBride
WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE - YOU CAN TOO!
In 2011, the Thorn Creek Nature Center, located in Park Forest, Ill., was faced with reduced income that resulted in reduced staff and reduced open hours. Responding to the need of the nature center to remain open at least two days a week, Aura Duke mobilized a group of five Thorn Creek Audubon Society (TCAS) members to volunteer at the nature center on the third Friday of each month. The original group included Judy Murphy, Carolyn Gann, and Aura Duke as well as several of us who are still involved nine years later! The current TCAS volunteers are Mary Anne McLean, Janice Richey, Lisa, and Linda Bronson, and me.
Working with the nature center’s dedicated staff continues to be a real pleasure for us. Long time CEO and the heart and soul of the center, Judy Mendelson, now works behind the scenes, while naturalist April Richards keeps all the activities going, ably assisted by Monica Banaszak, who helps with the programming.
The volunteers work on tasks assigned by the staff, such as mailing brochures, putting up posters related to current programs, arranging supplementary exhibits, greeting visitors, and making program reminder calls. We also get to enjoy working together to accomplish these tasks, learn new bits of nature lore, and know that we are making a difference.
And this is where YOU come in… WE ALL KNOW THAT MORE COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IF THERE ARE MORE VOLUNTEERS. Specifically, the nature center could have additional Fridays and Saturdays with Open Hours (noon to 4:00 p.m.).
If you and a friend would want to be part of keeping this valuable resource open so that more people can enjoy all that it offers, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! Becoming part of a group is not only fun and rewarding but it also effectively creates bonds that help keep everyone interested and involved. You can call April at 708-747-6320 and leave a message, or email her at thorn_creek@att.net. Or you can contact me by sending an email to Thorn Creek Audubon at thorncreekaudubon@gmail. com. You can also stop by the nature center on the third Friday (noon to 3:00 p.m.) to talk with us and the staff to get a better idea of how you can contribute your time and talents.
About Thorn Creek Nature Center: The center is located at the 997-acre Thorn Creek Woods Nature Preserve in Will County. The preserve is jointly owned and managed by four Thorn Creek Woods Management Commission members: Forest Preserve District of Will County, Village of Park Forest, Village of University Park, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Thorn Creek Nature Center, which was converted from a historic 1862 church, and is managed by the Village of Park Forest. Map.
March 1, 2020