Putting others first is all in a day’s work for some people.
By Nick Burry
SOME WOULD CONSIDER A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO BE A SIGNIFICANT SACRIFICE. THE FOLLOWING FOUR PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THAT THOSE WHO GIVE ARE THE LUCKY ONES.
LAUREN BROWN
WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE, NEW YORK
Growing up, Lauren Brown probably told her share of cruel lawyer jokes. “Being a lawyer was the furthest thing from my mind,” says Brown. Her youth was spent outdoors—exploring the Everglades, taking survival classes, learning to navigate with a compass, spending days alone in the woods. A couple of years ago, Brown graduated with honors from Pace University School of Law, and now she’s a lawyer for Waterkeeper Alliance. “I knew I wanted to spend my life improving the environment. When I got a little older, I realized that law could be a tool to effectuate change.”
As the story goes, the once-pristine Hudson River was so full of sturgeon that a New Yorker could walk from Manhattan to New Jersey without getting his feet wet. Waterkeeper Alliance is a coalition of local groups protecting and preserving their rivers, lakes and bays from pollution. “One of my favorite things about my job is that I have a chance to work with all the local programs and I get to see the changes on the ground level.”
According to the Waterkeeper Alliance, a waterkeeper is many things, including a thorough investigator, a dedicated scientist and an economist. “People have to understand the economic benefits of preserving our water systems. For instance, wetlands naturally filter water for us. In the event that wetlands are destroyed, trying to replicate that natural filtration process is extremely expensive.” It’s old-fashioned activism combined with solid research and local economic interests, and so far it’s been extremely effective. “We have 160 local programs, including 15 on the Great Lakes. Twelve programs just started in India, and we have three proposals from China. We’re the fastest-growing grassroots environmental movement in the world,” Brown says, with not a small amount of pride.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
“We’re about empowering people to use the laws that already exist to protect their water.” Brown recommends volunteering at an existing Waterkeeper program, or if one doesn’t exist to protect your local waterway, start your own chapter. www.waterkeeper.org
LAURA ALVARADO
ARTREACH, INDIANAPOLIS
These days, most children’s art education begins and ends with finger painting in kindergarten. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are even less likely to learn about art, and the negative impact is far worse than not knowing how to speak about Abstract Expressionism at a cocktail party. “Art is a tool for engaging,” says Laura Alvarado, director of ArtReach at the Indianapolis Art Center (IAC). “Art engages students in a different way of thinking. Art teaches process and concept, which can be applied to different disciplines..”
Alvarado has spent the last three years working with ArtReach—an IAC program that brings artists and art programs into poor neighborhoods. Using discipline-based art education (a holistic approach to the study and understanding of art) she’s been able to foster discussion and critical thinking, opening up a world of art to disadvantaged youth. “There’s nothing like seeing kids talk to artists about different techniques,” says Alvarado,
Though the ArtReach program has been a hit, it can be difficult to keep kids in the program due to unstable living situations. Alvarado has been working to establish strong partnerships with schools, churches, and boys and girls clubs, creating anchors in the community where ArtReach can thrive. Of course, funding is always an issue; art supplies are expensive, and the program is free. Thankfully, ArtReach can rely on a dedicated staff that believes everyone’s an artist. Says Alvarado, “We believe in healthy educational programming in a safe environment. It feels great to hear a kid say ‘I didn’t think I could do that.’”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donations of materials or financial contributions are greatly appreciated. No art experience is needed for volunteers, just a willingness to follow the artist’s lead in the classroom. And of course, any artists who want to contribute their time are welcome. www.indplsartcenter.org
JACINDA FARMER
CAMP QUALITY, KANSAS CITY
The best part is seeing the face of a child who never had cotton candy,” says Jacinda Farmer, director of Camp Quality in greater Kansas City. Farmer has seen a lot of kids who’ve had to become brave and mature far beyond their years. Since 2000, she has been working with children diagnosed with cancer and her goal is very straightforward: “Letting kids with cancer be kids again.”
Through the hard work of Farmer, the dedication of the volunteers and the generosity of donors, Camp Quality organizes a week of activities—from fishing to hot air balloon rides—in the hopes of getting up to 100 kids’ minds off cancer. Voicing the desire to do more, Farmer acknowledges the challenges she faces: “Finding enough volunteers is always hard, as is dealing with the sense of loss. There are 1,500 kids in the Kansas City area who have been diagnosed with cancer. There’s a ton of kids we’re not getting to.”
Farmer began her work at Camp Quality as a companion—an adult who spends a full week one-on-one with a camper. Over the years, she got more involved with the program. Though she misses the one-on-one relationships she had with kids, Farmer finds her role as director even more rewarding. “This way, I get to see the whole picture.” For Farmer, the net result of the “whole picture” has been incomparable. “The experience has made me respect my own family’s health even more. Kids going through cancer grow up way too fast. It really humbles you.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Camp Quality is 100 percent community-funded. You can donate money, activity expertise (such as a dance performance) or a week of your time as a companion. According to Farmer, all a great Camp Quality volunteer needs is to be caring, nurturing and empathetic. www.campqualitykc.org.
NELVA OLIN
UNITED COMMUNITY CENTER, MILWAUKEE
If I can be successful in business, there’s no reason I can’t be successful in bettering my community.” Nelva Olin had it pretty good: a secure job in the auto industry, a good salary, great benefits. But something was missing. In 2003, she changed gears and began working at Milwaukee’s United Community Center (UCC), providing services for seniors in the Latino community. Olin laughs when asked about the trappings of her former career, “I don’t regret a single thing. It was 100 percent the right choice to begin working with this community.”
Olin works primarily with Latino seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. She explains that it’s an isolated community; most of the people she helps spent their younger years working long hours to support families, making it impossible to go to school or take English classes. Insulated behind a barrier of language and pride, they don’t get the medical and transportation services they need. That’s where Olin steps in.
Bilingual and energetic, she schedules daily meal plans, exercise and entertainment for the seniors who come to UCC. She points out, “We work with the seniors, but the families need relief, too.” Many of the older people who come to UCC live at home with their families, so Olin also coordinates home assistance so that the rest of the family can work and go to school assured that their older relatives are being cared for.
One of the reasons Olin has been so successful at helping the elderly population is because she understands the community. She has a clever technique. “We prepare traditional food and we play traditional music. It makes them feel more comfortable and, as a result, they continue to come back and get the services they need.” The cultural approach seems to be working, no doubt aided by Olin’s boundless enthusiasm. When asked about the challenges she faces, she warmheartedly brushes off the question. “I love what I’m doing. This is my mission.” Olin had it good before, but now she has it better than ever. ■
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The United Community Center is always looking for volunteers, both individuals and through corporate programs. www.unitedcc.org
