Blog/updates

Serving and Learning Outdoors

The incredible staff and volunteer stewards have organized many projects for hundreds in STLF!  

Author: Brian Peterson, STLF

During October 2007, STLF had a group of 300 students ready to descend upon Chicago.  Now as you could imagine, organizing a meaningful service project for hundreds at one time is no small task.  To find an organization that could organize our project and have the capacity and the tools to carry it out seemed unlikely.  Prior to that Tour over 2 years ago though, we stumbled across an incredible organization: the Forest Preserve District of Cook County.  That marked the first time we had the pleasure of working with the wonderful staff and volunteer stewards, and it couldn't have gone better.  

I will never forget the moment a couple months later when we received a letter from the volunteer stewards.  Just when I thought this partnership couldn't be better, I opened that letter to see a note and a check.  It turned out that each year at their Holiday Party, the stewards pool some money together and choose an organization to donate to.  Both that year and the next, they decided to choose STLF.  Their hard work to provide opportunities for young people, along with their support and energy, mean more to us all then they will ever know.

Just this past October marked the fifth time in two years of working with them. Despite a cold and rainy day, they had dozens of volunteers spread out across numerous sites in the area to provide hundreds of excited students an opportunity to serve and learn about environmental preservation and restoration.  

Cassie Hatzfeld is a member of the Forest Preserve staff who has coordinated our last several projects with them.  While the impact on young people because of these projects goes without saying, here are a few words from Cassie about the importance of volunteers for their efforts:

"With over 68,000 acres of nature, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County provides endless ways for teens to Get Outside, Get Active, and Give Back. In 2008-2009, thousands of teens participated in the High School Volunteers In Preserves (VIP) program. VIP activities include litter removal, invasive species removal, repairing trails, mulching trees, monitoring water quality, adopting a site, and more. Volunteers are crucial in helping the Forest Preserve reach its mission to protect, restore, and preserve the biodiversity and beauty of the natural communities of the District for education, pleasure, and recreation of the public. Volunteers make a difference, and we are grateful."

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!  Keep up the incredible work and stewardship of the beautiful parks and land.

- Support STLF by Making a Donation Online!

View and Read More Recent Blog Posts!