Friends reach out for volunteers

Richard Diffenderfer & Jessica Sweeney represent the Friends at The Standard's Volunteer Expo

The "support your community" ethic is alive and well in the Portland area. On Thursday, September 8th, Richard Diffenderfer, who volunteers for the Friends, and Jessica Sweeney, the Friends' Media/PR coordinator, participated in The Standard's annual Volunteer Expo in Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Among the items Jessica toted along to display at the expo was a beaver (see above photo). This furry fellow usually resides in Tryon Creek's Nature Center. His urban appearance at the Friend's booth drew many glances and inspired spirited discussion about the nature of such animals. Was this an adult beaver, people wanted to know (yes). Do its teeth keep growing (yes, but gnawing on wood keeps them to a manageable length)?  Is it a rodent (yes)? Beavers swim faster than Michael Phelps thanks to their large webbed rear feet and their paddle-shaped tail, and have been hunted to extinction in certain areas (it's amazing the facts that come to light when people are networking!).

Along with beaver analyses, booth visitors were given information about the many volunteer opportunities that exist at Tryon Creek. Many people were interested in volunteering on their own while others represented companies and were looking for group volunteer opportunities that their entire staff could participate in.

Volunteers really are the backbone of the Friends of Tryon Creek. Their support and commitment help us provide environmental education and interpretive opportunities to the public, staff the Nature Center, lead guided hikes, maintain park trails, remove invasive species, assist with events and much, much more. The Friends were pleased to have the opportunity to reach out to the community to strengthen our volunteer base. Many thanks to The Standard for sponsoring the Volunteer Expo and allowing us to engage with the public.