- Who are you? (Where are you from? What are your hobbies or interests? What is important to you?)
My name is Erin and I have lived all over the country, but I will always call Maryland home. I am a former interior designer who discovered later in life that I have a passion for environmental science! Some of my interests include hiking in Northern Baltimore County on the many trails, painting, planting native gardens, but beekeeping is probably one of the most important things I do because a third of the world’s food production depends on bees.
- Why did you join AmeriCorps? How did you end up on this path?
I volunteered with the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER, Inc. for over a year and Theaux Le Gardeur, the Executive Director, informed me of the opportunity to serve as a member of AmeriCorps with the organization. During the pandemic, I finish a degree in Environmental Sustainability and was having difficulty finding a career where the level of environmental stewardship and community outreach aligned with my personal values. After looking into AmeriCorps and researching the organization further, I realized that the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER was a perfect fit and I truly feel that I can make a difference in my community through this program.
- What Site are you serving at and why? (Where is the site? What is the community need it addresses?)
The site I am serving is with the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER, Inc. located at the Sparks Bank Nature Center in Sparks, MD along the Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail. Recently, the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER acquired the building and it is now the headquarters of the organization and also open to the community. The Gunpowder Falls, located just feet away from the trail, provides drinking water to 1.5 million people. By educating visitors at the nature center about the significance of the river, this creates a sense of environmental stewardship in the community.
- What are you most excited for during the next year?
I am really looking forward to engaging with the community and hearing their feedback. There is so much to learn with the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER and I am excited to expand my skillset and make a difference.
- What do you hope to learn/experience in the next year?
I am completely open to learning anything and everything that I possibly can over the next eleven months! I am especially interested in serving through volunteer outreach and being a part of the development/growth of the nature center.
- What about community service gets you motivated?
Serving my community is so fulfilling to me and the best way I can do it is through environmental stewardship. This can be done by sharing the knowledge of the river, the native plants and their importance to our ecosystem, and how every single one of us can help to make the planet a better place for future generations.
- Where does your inspiration to serve stem from? Why do you care about giving back?
Service has always been so important to me and If I can enrich the lives of others that makes it all worthwhile! When I was young, I was enrolled in a community arts program for children that was operated by volunteers. Through their service, I was so inspired that I pursued a career in the arts and so, I will always give back wherever I can because you never know who you will inspire.
- What are your goals for this Service Year and beyond?
One of my main goals for this year is to develop a solid volunteer program at the nature center. Long term, I would like to grow with the nature center and the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER through environmental education and outreach.
| YOUR NAME | Erin |
| YOUR SITE | Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER, INC. located at the Sparks Nature Center |
| YOUR SITE WEB SITE | www.gunpowderriverkeeper.org |
| YOUR SITE SOCIAL MEDIA (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=gunpowder%20riverkeeper Instagram: @gunpowder_riverkeeper Twitter: @GunpowderRiver YouTube: @gunpowderriverkeeper1239 |
Volunteer Maryland 