THIS VOLUNTEER IS FORGING A PATH FOR YOUNG NATURALISTS

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Jeanne Andrews. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Jeanne Andrews loves the outdoors, and she wants everyone in her community to have the same opportunity to explore it. A children’s librarian and master naturalist, Jeanne saw the abandoned ten-acre plot next to the library where she worked not as something to avoid, but as something with potential. But the area had been treated as a dumping ground and wasn’t safe for the local kids to navigate. Jeanne had an idea to bring the community together to clear the area and create a vibrant park and outdoor haven that everyone could enjoy. She decided to turn the space into Franklin Woodland Trails, a community recreational trail system and outdoor educational space. Featuring one and a half miles of connected paths, the trails are filled with natural beauty and discovery areas, such as the Story Trail and Fairy Forest. Whether it’s the flowing creek or the charming bridges, everyone can connect with nature in the FWT.

Jeanne’s dedication to the Trails is unparalleled. She dedicates 15 to 20 hours per month to making sure the FWT thrives, and completes tasks that range from leading nature hikes and general trail maintenance to applying for grants and educating children to become environmental stewards. But one of the greatest components of the Franklin Woodland Trails is the way it calls upon the community to participate in helping it thrive. Jeanne encourages the community to come out for monthly Revitalization Workdays to clear debris, improve paths and maintain the stunning natural resource to be in its best condition for everyone.

While Jeanne spearheaded the movement to create Franklin Woodland Trails, she’s quick to thank those who helped get her there, from the community association to the local scouts. She says she has volunteers who will come out at a day’s notice to help her work on the space. The success of the Trails is not only a testament to Jeanne’s dedication, but to the power of how much volunteers can accomplish when they work together to achieve something.

What inspires you to volunteer?

I have experience working with children through the library, and as a Master Naturalist, I understand that children are healthier and happier when they have the opportunity to play outside. I know that research shows children today have an average of seven minutes of unstructured outdoor play time. When kids have time outside, it improves their physical, mental and emotional health, and reduces stress and anxiety. That’s really a passion of mine. It’s so that we can have healthier children and so that we can grow environmental stewards for the future.

Tell us about your volunteer role with Franklin Woodland Trails.

I’m kind of a jack of all trades. I organize our volunteers because we have a monthly cleanup. I’m out there every day, but I’m seeing different things that need to be repaired or worked on for our cleanups. I’m planning, I’m doing the physical labor, I’m chainsawing and I’m weedwhacking. I work with the scout troops. We’ve had at least a dozen Eagle Scout projects in the park, so they approach me about how they can contribute. I’m always trying to brainstorm things to add to the nature discovery area. They’ve done everything from building a stage to building discovery boxes. I’m actively researching things that we can add to this. I’m building things to add to the fairy forest, like little houses, bridges and ladders. I work on the story trail and pick the stories that go in it. I work on social media marketing and maintain the Facebook page. I’m always trying to find ways to fundraise for the trail.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

In about 2017, I became a Certified Master Naturalist. With that training, I wanted to implement some nature programming at the library where I work. It was really a journey. I’m in charge of children’s programming. I wanted to create a nature programming series for families. I wanted to take the kids outside. We have an area of grass outside the library, and it borders a wooded property along the perimeter. We were having a program outside, and the kids were very interested in investigating the wooded area. This 10-acre wooded area was very overgrown and filled with rubbish and had been neglected for decades. So I thought, well, let’s do something about this. And it evolved from having a place for a program to having a place for our community. I decided to make a trail for people to be able to walk.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

We’ve got a very robust group of volunteers, so we’re going to keep at it. I find that the more we add, there’s more and more to maintain. Long term, we’ll keep adding, keep repairing and keep building. I want to continue our environmental programming, continue researching and continue my professional development in order to provide the best programming that I can for our community.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

It’s actually really easy to see the many ways that the Franklin Woodland Trails are being enjoyed by the community. I had no idea. I anticipated that once people discovered the trail, they would be walking on it, and they do. I’ve seen people jogging on it. I’ve seen people walking their dogs. Families enjoy the discovery area. We have an occupational therapist who has her sessions out there. Birthday parties are being held here. We have a group of homeschool families that come every Friday to do nature programming. We are bordered by a preschool, and they come and do nature walks every week. The impact that it’s having on the community is just so incredible. I work in the library, and I’ll be shelving books and I’ll hear kids in our children’s area ask to go out to the trail when they leave. To realize that what I had envisioned is happening is just the greatest reward.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I’ve learned that people are incredibly generous; once they learned what we were trying to do, they were so generous with their donations. We received donations from the Rec Center, from the local businesses, from the Sons of the American Legion, the scout troops, the Garden Club and everybody with their volunteer hours. I’ve been out in the park, and there have been families that just come out on their own to do their own clean up, teaching their kids. This is how we take care of our environment. It’s actually humbling to see you know that people can be so generous with their time and their resources for something that they really care about.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

It’s important to find your own people when you can share a common cause, as it’s a very bonding experience. You work side by side, and you enjoy that camaraderie. You can share the successes and the challenges, and it’s such a great way to build community. Sometimes I find, especially today, that’s difficult to come by. It’s very nice to have that support and friendship.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

The very first thing you should do is take some time for self-reflection. It would be important to think about your interests and your passions. Consider how much time you have to spend and whether you’re looking for a regular commitment or something that is just for a day. Are you looking to make new acquaintances or maybe learn a skill? There are countless opportunities out there, but it’s going to be a more fulfilling experience if you can find a really good fit.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Jeanne? Find local volunteer opportunities.