News

Category: Volunteer

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Harbor Cleanup Makes an Impact

     Eighty-three volunteers braved the heat to clean up trash from recent flooding at the Wolf River Harbor Cleanup on June 16th. Wolf River Conservancy River Guides and members of the Bluff City Canoe Club cleared debris out of the Wolf River Harbor using their canoes and kayaks, while land volunteers picked up litter from its surrounding banks with trash bags donated from our partner, Clean Memphis. A whopping total of 72 trash bags and 60 tires were collected... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Volunteer

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Wolf River Harbor Cleanup Set for June 16th

Join the Wolf River Conservancy and Doxicom Global to complete an essential river cleanup of accumulated trash and litter, especially plastics! Doxicom Global is a waste stream management group, based in Jackson,TN, whose goal is to not only turn landfill waste to zero, but to remove 1,000,000 pounds of plastic from our waterways. To further their mission, Doxicom Global and its army of GreenGooroos (Doxicom staff and franchise partners) will unite with Wolf River... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Volunteer

Monday, March 26, 2018

Volunteers Turn Out for Annual Tree Planting on Mar. 11th

     Presented by FedEx and International Paper, the Wolf River Conservancy’s 13 th Annual Tree Planting was yet another successful event!  Despite multiple postponements due to rain, and cool, moist, windy conditions on Mar. 11th, 250 volunteers planted and potted over 4,000 tree seedlings.  Twelve native tree species were selected to beautify and reforest key areas in the Wolf River watershed.  The potted trees will be nurtured until they can... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Monday, March 26, 2018
Volunteer

Monday, January 29, 2018

Remembering Esther Klyce West Pearson

IN MEMORIUM – Esther Klyce Pearson Earlier this month, the Wolf River Conservancy lost a dear friend – Esther Klyce Pearson.   A philanthropist and business and community leader, Esther was a visionary in the establishment of the Wolf River Conservancy and its mission in the early 1980’s.  In addition to being one of the Conservancy’s founders and officers, Eleanor documented the organization’s founding principles and vision and kept... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Monday, January 29, 2018
Volunteer

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Remembering Jim Strickland

        The Wolf River Conservancy would like to acknowledge the passing of a member of our River Guide Program, Jim Strickland.  Jim first joined the guides in 2015 and immediately became an active member of the group, participating in numerous membership paddles on the Wolf River, assisting during the Cooper Young Festival and Outdoors, Inc. Canoe and Kayak Race events and instructing his fellow guides with CPR and AED classes.  He brought to the... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Sunday, January 28, 2018
Volunteer

Friday, September 22, 2017

International Paper Employees Make Huge Impact at Epping Way

The Wolf River Conservancy is lucky to have committed corporate champions. International Paper is one of our corporate benefactors who not only provides ongoing financial support to advance the mission of the Conservancy, but they volunteer their team to clean and protect the Wolf River watershed. Employees from International Paper, through their IP Day of Caring, volunteered Friday morning at Epping Way in Raleigh. The group of 25 volunteers helped remove invasives, cleared storm... Read More
Posted by Kelsey Hamilton at Friday, September 22, 2017
Volunteer Greenway

Monday, January 30, 2017

Volunteers Step Up in January

  Andrew and Mallory Halliburton 40 volunteers including Buffalo Soldiers, MPD officers, and staff from the Shelby County District Attorney General's office, worked at Kennedy Park on the Martin Luther King Day of Service on Jan.16th.   Thanks again to Wayne Roberts for his continued assistance in leading our Kennedy Park projects! Andrew and Mallory Halliburton - a father-daughter team -  enthusiastically cleared privet at the Lucius Burch trailhead on... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Monday, January 30, 2017
Conservation Volunteer

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Fall Service Projects Improve Habitat, Trash and Trails

    THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE WONDERFUL INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR HELP IN PRESERVING THE WONDER OF THE WOLF! Oct. 28 - AT&T volunteers   made huge progress on the boardwalk trail at Kennedy Park, removing hundreds of pounds of rotten wood and trash.  This clears the way for an Eagle Scout to come in and finish the boardwalk.  Oct. 29  - Halloween Bat House Project at Lovitt Woods - Thanks to the... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Saturday, November 19, 2016
Conservation Volunteer

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Intern Spotlight: Nathan Campbell Shares His Story

As a college student, I am surrounded by some of the brightest young adults in the country. Whenever people ask these bright individuals about their future goals, I hear them talk of ambitious aspirations of becoming lawyers pursuing criminal justice reform, doctors focusing on degenerative diseases, or engineers building rockets for SpaceX. But whenever anyone has asked me that question, I mumble through a mostly incoherent answer and attempt to change the topic as quickly as possible.... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Conservation Volunteer

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

WRC Volunteer Appreciation Event on May 19th

It was a beautiful evening in a beautiful setting with some of our favorite people-- our volunteers! On May 19th, WRC showed its volunteers some love at the Memphis Botanic Garden. After some mingling and refreshments on the porch of the Guest House in My Big Backyard, Executive Director Keith Cole welcomed the group and expressed the WRC's appreciation for all the hard work our volunteers do and how much they truly help keep us running. Then, WRC Special Project Coordinator,... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Volunteer

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Volunteer Spotlight: Jim Strickland

Jim Strickland, our latest certified WRC River Guide, has quickly gained the respect of the other guides and participating paddlers. Since early 2015, he has been one of our most trusted, stable volunteers, lending a helping hand both on paddle trips and with other WRC projects whenever he can.  Jim has participated in seven events already, including our first Polar Wolf Plunge on January 1.  He was one of only seven individuals who entered the water at Bateman Road bridge while 20... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Paddling Volunteer

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Weed Wrangle at Lovitt Woods Draws Hard-working Volunteers

     Our thanks to the volunteers who joined us at Lovitt Woods on Sat., Jan. 23rd, for the Memphis Weed Wrangle, a new statewide event focused on exotic invasive plants. This energetic group cleared invasive privet choking the understory of the forest, getting a lot of work done in just a few hours!  Removing the privet and providing more light to the forest floor will allow the canopy trees to regenerate over time.  Native understory trees and shrubs will also be... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Conservation Volunteer

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Registration Open for Cycle the Greenway

Registration is now open for the Wolf River Conservancy's Cycle the Greenway. The event will be held on Saturday, June 4th at 7600 Wolf River Blvd. For more information on how to register and fundraise for the event, please go to the Cycle the Greenway Website .  Event Details Date:  Saturday June 4, 2016 Event Start/Finish:  7600 Wolf River Blvd., Germantown, TN 38138 Event Timeline: 6:30 AM - Check-In and Walk-Up Registration Begins 7:15 AM - Welcome... Read More
Posted by Kelsey Hamilton at Thursday, January 21, 2016
Volunteer Special Events Greenway Recreation

Friday, May 22, 2015

Thank You Brother International for Supporting the Wolf River Conservancy

As a sponsor of our 10th Annual Tree Planting, Brother International donated more than $6,000 to the WRC. A large group of Brother employees and their family members also came out to help with the planting. Keith Cole, WRC Executive Director, presented Vickie Berry of Brother International with a plaque to express appreciation for their generous sponsorship. Read More
Posted by Kelsey Hamilton at Friday, May 22, 2015
Volunteer

Monday, April 27, 2015

WRC's Faith in Action Clean Up Projects

WRC staff teamed up with Buckman and Nexair employees to clean up a stretch of N. McLean on April 10th. The results: 45 bags of trash and 40 tires; 25 volunteers.   On April 18th, we worked with another great group of 16 volunteers at our Gerber property on Mud Island, cleaning up 45 bags of trash and 75 tires.   And on April 25th, a hardy group of 12 volunteers attacked some huge piles of trash at Epping Way.  The results:  25 bags of trash, 220 tires, 5... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Monday, April 27, 2015
Conservation Volunteer Education

Monday, April 27, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Jim Waldron

           The Wolf River Conservancy wishes to express its gratitude to Jim Waldron who has devoted many hours and resources to building and placing nest boxes for birds and bats along the Wolf River.  Jim is an expert builder of nest boxes, having built and installed hundreds over the years, and both his skills and his equipment have been invaluable in enhancing wildlife habitat. As a volunteer for WRC, he has assisted FedEx volunteers with... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Monday, April 27, 2015
Conservation Volunteer Education

Monday, March 30, 2015

10th Annual Wolf River Conservancy Tree Planting A Success

The Wolf River Conservancy hosted our 10th Annual Tree Planting on Saturday March 28th at Shelby Farms Park. Over 350 volunteers came out and braved the not-so spring like temperature to plant over 10,000 trees that morning. A big thank you to our presenting sponsor, International Paper, and our other sponsors: Brother International, Little Garden Club, Memphis Garden Club, Darden Foundation, and Super Tree Seedlings. We would like to also thank the Memphis Grizzlies, Mayor Luttrell, West... Read More
Posted by Kelsey Hamilton at Monday, March 30, 2015
Special Events Conservation Volunteer Special Events

Friday, March 27, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Watson

  Mike Watson has been an active river guide for Wolf River Conservancy since the guide program began with the original First Saturday Paddle in 2010. He has been the Lead Guide for the Fall Colors Trip and the Birding Paddle and a valued member of trail blazing expeditions, wielding a chainsaw like a pro. Mike is also an invaluable asset to WRC off the river: his expert mapping and computer skills have provided us with our most important paddling maps. Mike’s favorite section of... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Friday, March 27, 2015
Paddling Volunteer

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: The Thompsons and the Easterlings

  Originally from the Canal Zone in Panama, Central America, Patty Thompson, Bruce Thompson and Leesie Easterling are siblings who have made Memphis their home for the past twenty years. Leesie's husband, Lonnie Easterling, is a native Memphian and a talented cartoonist. The couple sees volunteering as a great opportunity to teach their three children about the importance of helping others within the community.. Patty Thompson is bilingual, using her fluency in Spanish to help... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Volunteer

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Beth Hoople

  Beth Hoople is currently volunteering in the WRC office where she donates her professional skills in analysis and historical preservation to organize WRC's wealth of resources into a digitized repository which can be updated continuously.  Beth also generously assists with other staff and clerical needs. These are unglamorous, sometimes arduous, and often overlooked tasks, but they are very important, and we want everyone to know how much we appreciate Beth and her efforts on our... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Volunteer

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Sandy Stacks

Sandy Stacks started paddling blue moons ago. She is a charter member of the Wolf River Conservancy River Guide program, having been certified with the first group of paddlers before the existing program was formalized. Since she has since always remained current by attending certification programs, attending annual training and specialty programs. She not only leads WRC on river programs but Bluff City Canoe Club (BCCC) trips as well. Sandy has been an active member of the Canoe Club for over... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Volunteer

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Volunteer Spotlight: Isaiah Allen

  Isaiah Allen joined the WRC River Guide Training Program on August 7, 2014. His “can do” attitude and hard work in a number of different WRC programs resulted in full River Guide Certification this past December - a record time for certification! This year alone, he has already led two on-river programs and has signed up to lead four additional trips by year’s end. He has voluntarily worked in five WRC information booths, participated in outdoor research programs and paddled in two... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Volunteer

Friday, January 16, 2015

Volunteer with the Wolf River Conservancy

Volunteer With Us! Sign Up Here! Fundraising and Public Events Be a part of our Event Staff for major fundraising events: Annual Tree Planting Cycle the Greenway Greenway Soirée  Be a WRC Ambassador for public events: Cooper-Young Festival  Outdoors Inc. Annual Cyclocross Shelby Farms Earth Day Festival  Land Stewardship Exotic plant removal Trash clean-ups Habitat... Read More
Posted by Cathy Justis at Friday, January 16, 2015
Volunteer