Counting Spat in Point Judith

A poem & pictorial by Save The Bay Volunteer Kathleen O'Kula.

Counting Spat in Point Judith

Deep under the bay

Eelgrass leans in slow motion.

Scallops spawn their spat

which we catch in nets,

measure their tiny millimeters,

send them back to grow

and meet them  much later

for dinner.

First you collect the tubes that were floated over the scallop fields.

Then you investigate every millimeter of slimy surface ...

... because the “spat” are really tiny.

And when they’re measured and counted, back they go!

See ya in the kitchen someday, guys!

A Word on Beach Trash

This weekend, Save The Bay will be kicking off International Coastal Cleanup in Rhode Island, sponsored locally by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Throughout September, groups all over the state will be hosting local cleanups and tallying the trash they find. These tallies will help The Ocean Conservancy get an idea of what type of marine debris is located in the waterways around the world.

While every cleanup we host at Save The Bay is eye-opening to many of the volunteers, International Coastal Cleanup tends to really make volunteer stop, gasp, and think. I think it has to do with actually seeing a solid number on a piece of paper of how many pieces of trash they picked up of each item. Picking up a handful of cigarette butts is one thing. But knowing you picked up 150 cigarette butts is something completely different.

Today, this little PSA came across my email sent to me by a parent whose child made this piece. It's a short little animated piece on the dangers of debris in our waterways. Take a look! Watch with your kids! If it moves you to make an impact, join Save The Bay, or any of the other groups hosting ICC cleanups this month and come help keep Narragansett Bay and it's coastline free of trash and debris.

For a full listing of ICC cleanups, please visit www.keepriclean.org

Even The Heat Can't Keep Away a Passionate Volunteer

While eating lunch today, I came across an article in my Volunteer News Alerts about volunteers working in Joplin to clean up after the devastating tornado that swept through that city this past spring.  I was touched by the continued support and dedication of these truly wonderful volunteers, working tirelessly in 100+ degree heat daily!  All so the residents can get their lives back on track as soon as possible.  I was moved by the article and by the energy of the volunteers.  How selfless to give of themselves during this disgusting heat wave instead of doing as many of us do - sit in our AC or with a fan pointed on us and try to stay cool.

Then, I thought about the Save The Bay Volunteers who deserve some major kudos for offering to work at the Annual Save The Bay Swim this year.  Approximately 80 volunteers will turn out on Saturday morning and help to check in swimmers and kayakers in Newport.  An additional 120+ volunteers will be taking to the water on boats and kayaks, will be in the water to help greet swimmers and kayakers, will be on the beaches to get all swimmers a towel, shirt, medal and drink, and will be at the lawn to help feed the many swimmers and spectators from the event.  This Saturday, we'll have over 200 volunteers helping with our signature fundraising event.  And these volunteers are going to brave some crazy heat.

That's the thing about Save The Bay Volunteers - they are tough! I am consistently amazed by their strength, dedication and passion for the organization and their work. Whether they are stuffing thousands of envelopes, answering phones, digging in the mud, counting scallops, working with visitors at our Aquarium, marking storm drains, monitoring water quality, surveying the coast, assisting at events, or collecting trash from the beaches - they do it with 100% of their effort - always.

Each year I ask some of our volunteers for quotes about why they volunteer for Save The Bay. I keep these emails in a folder in my inbox. On days when work is challenging, I will refer to these messages from volunteers. Reading about their passion motivates me and inspires me, and makes a challenging day not so bad.  One of my favorite emails is below.

"First, I think alone I can only make a small difference, but when I volunteer with like minded individuals, I can be a part of something bigger that will have a real impact. And I love to be involved with driving positive change. Second, I don't think anyone has the right to complain about a thing if they aren't willing to roll up their sleeves and do something to help. Third, I like to give back. I find it keeps me grounded, puts things in perspective. I volunteer for Save the Bay because it is a stellar organization, that focuses on one of my great loves in life, the shoreline. I used to complain that the shoreline and ocean were changing, that my kids didn't have the same opportunities there that I did as a kid. Now I can work with a good bunch of people, to improve something I love, and I don't complain any more."

I hope these words inspire you to brave the elements (heat, rain, sleet, snow), and get out there and volunteer with Save The Bay or another organization you are passionate about. Volunteers are key to the success of non-profit organizations, we can't do it without them!

Microvolunteering

There's a new and emerging trend in volutneer management called Microvolunteering - and it sounds pretty much like what it is. Microvolutneering is when an organization takes their volutneer needs and breaks them up in to short, 30 minute projects where people can either come in to your office or work remotely, do the 30 minutes of work, and be done.

When I first heard of this trend I was quite intrigued and got to thinking about what can someone really accomplish for an organization in 30 minutes?! I mean, in 30 minutes of my time I know I can cook a meal, jog a mile+ on the treadmill, clean my bathrooms, pound through work email, you name it. But does my organization really have tasks that could be done successfully in 30 minutes or less? And is it really a 30 minute project if someone is driving 15-20 minutes each way to even get to our offices to do the work?

But then I really got to thinking in terms of volutneer & member actions that could be done in 30 minutes.  Maybe it's not an actual project that needs to be done, but a call to action. In 30 minutes, our constituents could hop online and send a letter to a Senator or Representative supporting a call to action. In 30 minutes Facebook Fans could sign an online petition and help encourage their network to do the same. In 30 minutes, supporters could hop online and make a donation to help our programs. They could send emails out to their network to recruit friends/family to particiapte in an event. Thinking in these terms really made me see that the possibilities are endless.

I know traditional volunteering isn't for everyone - whether it's a time committment issue or just lack of knowledge about what volunteering actually involves. But with the growing number of people linked in to every form of technology there is now, I really feel that offering these quick "volunteer" call to actions are a way to increase the number of individuals engaged with the organization. And how do I know that person who sends a letter or makes a gift won't call or email the volunteer manager one day and ask for other ways to expand their commitment to the organization?

Ahhh.... Microvolunteering, this could be the beginning of a beautiful and lasting relationship!!

How Important is an Internship?

Ah spring! It's the time of year when college students and recent graduates start looking for summer internships. It seems like only yesterday (ok 12 year ago, but now I'm dating myself) that I was out pounding the pavement, sending resumes and trying to find the best place for a summer internship (read: any place that would take me!).

I also remember thinking that I was never going to find an internship. Much like the economy and job market now, I was up against something very similar each year I was internship hunting. I was facing recent graduates and entry-level professionals who had more experience and were also happy to work for little to no pay just to have an experience to bolster their resume. How could I compete?

I remember one spring, I spent my whole spring break on interviews trying to find an internship for the summer while most of my friends whooped it up in Mexico and Florida at the beaches. It was nearing the end of the week, and I had already had 5 interviews, each one of them telling me I didn't have enough experience to intern with them. Finally, the last interview, I was asked the dreaded question, "Why should I hire you for the summer? You don't have any experience."  I looked the interviewer right in the eye and said what was in my gut: "That's why you should hire me. I have no experience, you can train me any way you want me to be trained and teach me the things you want to teach me and I'll do them. I'm a blank slate ready to learn. And if you don't give me the opportunity to learn, who will ever give me the chance? I just need one person to take a chance and teach me."  I walked out the door with an offer and a start date. The interviewer said it was the best answer she had ever heard to that question. This internship led to every other internship and job I've had in the past 12 years.

As someone who had wonderful and valuable internships throughout my college experience, and as someone that works with volunteers and interns on a daily basis, I can not emphasize enough the importance of  internships and summer volunteering.

Being an intern is not just being "free/cheap labor" or "summer help". It's about immersing yourself in the culture, learning the lingo and skills needed for your proposed profession, meeting professionals in the business (that may be able to help you later on), gaining an insight as to what your future job will be like, and perhaps more than anything, it's your chance to determine "is this really what I want to be doing when I get out of school?" (And it's OK to walk away from an internship and answer NO to this question!!)

At Save The Bay, I work closely with our staff to ensure that the internship opportunities we offer will have students leaving with more knowledge than they came in with, that they have the necessary and important skills that they can add to their resume, some sort of hands-on learning experience, and/or a tangible product they can add to their portfolios. 

I always like to remind students when I'm at recruitment fairs or doing interviews that one door opens another in terms of internships and volunteer work, that we all have to start somewhere to get experience and those experiences lead us to bigger and better things - including jobs.

Internships are not always glamorous. You're not going to walk right in and know everything and be perfect, and if you think you are, check that ego at the door. As an intern, you are there to learn. Have a can-do attitude, ask questions, take on tasks with gusto, be kind and gracious to those you are working with, be punctual, be accurante, be honest - tell them if you're bored/overwhelmed, ask for more work, seek opportunities to learn besides what is being handed to you, dress and act to match the culture of the workplace, don't spend your day texting away or on Facebook. Leave an impresion on them that will last a lifetime!

And if you can't find a summer internship, seek out area non-profits that are of interest to you (and maybe related to your area of study) and offer to volunteer your time assisting them.  Maybe they need someone to help answer phones so staff can take vacation time. Perhaps you can help with filing, events, data entry, who knows! Just because it isn't an "internship" by name, doesn't mean you can't make summer volunteering a valuable learning experience and take away experiences that will be important for a resume or job search.

Remember, your impression on those you're working with will lead to recommendations - and you want that to be a favorable and memorable impression for all the right reasons! Make the most of your internship and volunteering experiences - you never know where it will land you!

Save The Bay Staff Give Back

In January and February, Save The Bay staff members began our new STB Gives Back program by volunteering their time at Amos House in Providence for three weeks.  Staff members came in to assist with lunch preparation and then served lunch to those who needed a hot meal.

"Volunteering at Amos House was nothing short of spectacular.  I was shocked at the sheer volume of people who passed through the doors (I had no idea the need within the community was so great!).  It was both humbling and heartwarming to be able to offer those who passed through the food line a smile, a kind word, and a full plate of food.  The volunteer experience was hugely rewarding, especially since I usually volunteer for environmental causes."
~ Stan, Operations Assistant 

"I felt like I was really making a difference, and I learned a lot too."
~ Marci, Coastal Ecologist

"I enjoyed my time volunteering at Amos House.  The staff were more than welcoming and very appreciative of the help.  It was a great avenue for STB staff to reach out and help our local community." ~ Grainne,  Educator

"I enjoyed having the chance to work with another great cause and spend time with my colleagues doing something 'good' outside of our daily work." ~ Rupa, Education Coordinator
"Always great to help in the community we call home!" ~ Jenny, Development Associate

"I liked wearing the fancy hair net. It really accented my lunch lady bun."
~ Gretchen, Events Manager

"I volunteered with Save The Bay because we are a non-profit that relies on volunteers ourselves, we know the value of volunteers to another organization and how important it is to volunteer. It was also nice because food is such an essential part of our lives and it is good to remind yourself how important food is to the well-being of all."
~ Rachel, Community Organizer & Advocate

"Volunteering at Amos House was a blast! Despite the fact that it was frigid and snowing outside, there was an abundance of warmth and smiles inside from happy kitchen staff already hard at work preparing lunch.  Everyone who passed through was gracious and thankful and made it known with continuous words of “thank you” before they left to go back out into the storm.  I felt very pleased that such a place exists in Rhode Island and is successful because of the magnificent caring people who work there.  I highly recommend the experience to anyone. " ~ Cherisa, Education Specialist and Bay Camp Director

"Volunteering is an experience that gives me a lot of personal satisfaction because there’s genuine appreciation for my efforts.  It’s very satisfying to know that you’re making a positive difference (regardless of how small) in someone else’s lives. " ~ Mary K., Director of Communications and Marketing

In the three weeks we were there, staff members chopped 100 pounds of potatoes, 60 pounds of carrots, caseloads of cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce. We peeled approximately 40 pounds of shrimp, peeled and chopped dozens of hardboiled eggs, and cut countless pieces of pastry and cakes for dessert!

Trash: Not just a problem in Rhode Island

First off, I'm so sorry it’s been so long since I've blogged. I do promise to do better about bringing issues of Volunteerism and the Environment to you in the New Year.

Part of the reason I've been slack in blogging is because I took the whole month of December off. Yes, I did it, I walked away from my desk, trusted a volunteer with everything (which she did a fantastic job!) and took a much needed break.

But, unfortunately even while on vacation, I started thinking about possible things to blog about and writing rough drafts of posts in my head.

My husband and I were fortunate to spend the month in the Mediterranean on a cruise. We visited parts of Europe, Africa and Asia and had the most wonderful time!

You see, my husband and I love to travel; to experience new parts of the world, see new places. I'm a very open person when we travel as I like to experience people's cultures, ways of lives, foods, religions, you name it.

But for some reason on this trip my eyes seemed to notice every single piece of trash in the ocean as we were coming in to ports, on beaches as we were walking around, on the streets where we walked, in the canals that we drove past. This is the first trip we took where I noticed my hyper-attentiveness to pollution and trash were interfering with my enjoyment of the experience. Now mind you, 95% of the places we visited were clean, beautiful and gorgeous - it's just that 5% that really got to me.

One city we visited near the end of our trip broke my heart - I wanted to get out, grab trash bags and gloves and lead people in a cleanup! There was trash piled high on the side of the roads, trash in canals that was so deep that it actually made a dam in the water and prevented the water from flowing, trash being burned in the midst of expansive farm fields where workers were harvesting crops, trash piled high in parks where children were playing. All I could think about is how these children will never know what it's like to swim in clean water, play at a clean beach or park or walk to school on a road that is not littered with trash. And it is not their fault, this is how it is here, this is how trash is dealt with. All I could think about is what those International Coastal Cleanup cards would look like - imagine the tally marks!!!

In another city we visited, they are trying to improve the coastal area to draw more tourists in. They are building beach clubs, yacht clubs, expansive hotels, fancy restaurants and cafes, theaters, you name it. But all I could think about was no matter what businesses they built, who would vacation here with the beach as dirty as it was? In amongst the lounge chairs and umbrella tables were piles of trash - household trash bags, food waste, tires, plastics - I could go on but I am sure you can imagine it for yourself. And even worse, a block in from the road where all of the development is happening, buildings are crumbling and trash is piled high. I don't think I would vacation there for the beach, would you?

Now I'm sure many of you are saying, well I've been places like that, seen worse, seen photos, videos, etc. how could I not know this was going on over in other parts of the world? I did know things like this happen in other parts of the world, that there isn't always the option for waste removal and recycling like we have in the US. But this was really the first time I personally got to see it with my own two eyes and not in a book, online, on a TV screen or in the form of data released after ICC cleanup each year. Seeing it with your own eyes certainly holds more of an impact and this is something I will forever carry with me and remember about our trip.

All of this made me realize, aside from the reality that I can no longer visit a beach or go on vacation without noticing trash (thank you beach cleanups!), that as bad as we think our beaches are, there are other places in the world that are MUCH worse. And it made me think that if I can make even a tiny impact here in little Rhode Island with our incredible corps of volunteers taking to the beaches, that it has to somehow make a difference.

I have to believe our impact in Rhode Island makes a difference - just take a look at our 2010 cleanup numbers:
1,035 volunteers participated in 30 statewide cleanups this past year where they picked up 13,926 pounds of trash from our beaches, neighborhoods, parks and rivers.

See volunteers, you do make an impact and the work you do is so important! Thank you for all of your hard work in 2010!