You should know that volunteers are the heart of grassroots organizations! Without them, I would have given up on improving our waterways about 5 years ago.  THEY are the ones who work hard, use their own gas money, time, energy, muscles, equipment and then take that message to other individuals.  Thank you to all the people who are making OUR Earth a better place.

– Abby

Life Lessons on the River

• By: Karen Obringer on July 29th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
• In College, Grad School, High School, Personal Branding | 1 Comment
• BLOG HERE: http://studentbranding.com/life-lessons-on-the-river/

I had the pleasure of volunteering with Save Maumee on Saturday, a local environmental group focused on cleaning up the Maumee River. I met the rest of the volunteers at 10 AM near a canoe launch area of the Maumee River, and was greeted by a woman with bright eyes and a big smile. Abigail Frost is the founder of Save Maumee, and as soon as you meet her you can tell how passionate she is about the environment and how excited she is about life in general. She was able to turn a day of hard and dirty work into something fun and meaningful.

Gaining Perspective

I used to participate in annual retreats which renewed me and my passion for serving people. Retreats always reminded me why I like to help people, where I excel, and what’s most important in my life. Although I was only volunteering for 3.5 hours, the experience grounded me and reminded me of a perspective that I tend to forget. ‘There’s nothing wrong with getting a little dirty’, ‘the little things do matter’, and ‘don’t forget to have fun’ are a few perspectives I gained on the river.

Get a Little Dirty

I signed up to help clean the Maumee River because of how polluted it’s become over the years. I knew it was going to be a dirty job and not very glamorous, but nothing good comes without a little bit of hard work. Think about the company you aspire to work with and where it originally started. Most started with an idea and one person willing to take the risk, get a little dirty, and work hard for the dream to become a reality. The CEO of that company once had to do the “dirty work” that every entry level position does. Abigail Frost, the founder of Save Maumee, was not afraid to roll up her sleeves, and literally get dirty while pulling tires, pedal boats, and other abandoned scrap metal out of the river. This is the core of her brand, work hard at something that matters to you.

Little Things Matter

I shared a canoe with one other person, and together we patrolled the river for trash and larger items to remove. We found ourselves maneuvering through tight spaces and spending long periods of time in the same area just to pick up every piece of styrofoam, plastic bottle, rubber duck, and cigarette butt we could see. I found myself thinking we should move onto bigger items, but my boat partner silently reminded me that even the smallest piece is important.

This is a true sentiment in all we do. It’s the little details, like the worker at the drive thru who remembers to say, “have a nice day,” and smiles at you while making eye contact. Or, how about the person who holds the door open for you when you’re juggling too many things in your hands? These little things that color our day can either make or break it for you. Remember to do the little things for people because the more we do, the more we make a positive impact on someone’s life.

Have Fun!

The first thing that was said to all the volunteers this weekend was, “are you ready to have fun,” and the last thing said was, “did you have fun.” This was such an important reminder to everyone. We were all out there to help the environment because we appreciate it; and what’s wrong with having a little fun while we work? When people enjoy their job and have fun doing it, it shows on their face and in their attitude. They’re the type of people we flock to, and want to be around because of the genuine love for what they’re doing. So, whatever brand you’re choosing that best describes you, be sure it’s chosen because you have a passion for it and not just because it’s in high demand. Be the person others look up to and stands out in a crowd. Be you, and don’t forget to have fun!

Author:

Karen is a Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). At IPFW she assists students in finding internships, coordinates and assists with campus-wide events, teaches a Career Planning course, and meets with students individually to assist them with all aspects of career development. Connect with Karen via LinkedIn or Twitter.

 http://www.nuvo.net/indianapolis/waste-in-indianas-waterways/Content?oid=1274149

Check this article out for yourself…but this excerpt is what I found interesting.  The Upper Maumee Watershed is also considered an impaired stream for PCB’s, heavy metals, Hg, Fish Consumption Advisories (FCA’s), E. Coli and nitrates.  The Upper Maumee remains on the 303 (d) list for impared waterways. Indianapolis is reflective of other larger municipalities like Fort Wayne, Terre Haute and Gary, IN.

NUVO – Indy’s Alternative Voice

“IDEM’s website houses a listing of all the impaired bodies of water in
Indiana, which IDEM completes for the whole state every two years.

For the West Fork of the White River in Marion County, the river is
listed as impaired for E. coli, PCBs in fish tissue and mercury found
in fish tissue. PCBs were once widely used as coolants and lubricants,
their manufacture has ceased due to health effects.

For the East Fork of the White River basin and the West Fork of the
basin 21 and 19 counties were listed with impaired waterways
respectively. Many of the impaired waterways are tributaries that will
eventually hook up to one of the forks of the White River. Causes for
the impairment of the waterways in both forks of the White River basin
were highly varied, including: E. Coli, impaired biotic communities,
cyanide, mercury in fish tissue, PCBs in fish tissue, sulfates, lead,
algae and taste/color.

In an article from the Muncie Star Press, Seth Slabaugh
recently reported that a Ball State University study in which 20
samples were taken from the West Fork of the White River revealed many
chemicals in the river which numerous cities use for drinking water.
These chemicals included: antibiotics, acetaminophen, anti-bacterials,
various other pharmaceuticals and DEET. According to the article water
treatment plants don’t treat the water for the above chemicals, and the
federal government is still in the process of working out what level of
pharmaceuticals is safe for treated drinking water.

So how does Indiana stack up comparatively to waterways around the
nation? According to data provided by the EPA, of streams that have
been sampled nationwide approximately 50 percent are in good condition
with the other 50 percent being impaired. The Indiana average is
slightly below the national average with 42 percent in good condition
and 58 percent impaired. Yet only slightly more than half of Indiana’s
rivers and streams have been assessed so far. Indiana lakes are in far
worse shape comparatively with 88 percent impaired and 12 percent in
good condition. All 59 miles of Indiana’s Great Lakes shoreline is
impaired.

EPA data shows that the cause for impairment in Indiana is most
commonly listed as unknown, while non point source pollution, and
agriculture generally make up most of the causes for impairment.
Industrial waste like that reported by Environment America does not
register as high on the larger scale.”