With the rising cost of living, nonprofit groups like the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, Kansas City Wildlands, Parkville Nature Sanctuary and others suffer greatly. Understandably, people cut back on their giving. Most of the people still want to support these wonderful causes and generally do so with their time when they can’t with their money. Nonprofit groups are almost always minimally staffed and they are overworked. It is through volunteers that they survive.

If you want to work with children, the volunteer naturalist program might be a perfect fit. Do you have good phone skills? How about data entry? If you want to get your hands dirty, I know MLTNS has a Land and Resource workday the first Saturday of every month and always need hands, backs and equipment. Kansas City WildLands has field workdays several Saturdays a year. Check these folks out and consider lending a helping hand now and then. It is a great message to teach our kids.

By Mark McKellar

SPRING 2008