Volunteering to Inspire

by
Michelle
Milford
December 10, 2023

Research

Volunteering

The Beginning of One Boy’s Journey to Help The Earth

After talking about the Canada wildfires in school, Maxwell - a budding 6 year old environmental activist - gave a presentation to his family. His grandma, grandpa, mom, dad and brother listened as Maxwell shared,

“Right now, the Earth is sad and sick. But if we help out, it will eventually turn into a happy, healthy Earth again.”

According to Maxwell, we can help the Earth by

1. Buying seeds.

2. Using less gas.

3. Planting trees.

Maxwell’s concern for the Earth inspired his mother, Jamie. She reflected on Maxwell’s passion saying, “It’s a really powerful mindset.  If half the adults in our world shared his concerns, we could make meaningful, real change. And so I thought about ways we could foster that for him.”

This brought Jamie and Maxwell to the UEC seeking volunteer opportunities to do good together. Their first volunteering activity was monarch monitoring where they combed through milkweed at Riverside Park in search of butterfly eggs.

Jamie spoke highly of the day, “Everyone was mission oriented and positive. It was really nice to see them welcome and humor Maxwell. Who knows where this will go. But, it’s a great opportunity for him to see that one little person can make a big impact.”.

When asked why he thought other kids don’t volunteer, Maxwell thought for a moment and replied, “I don’t think they realize that if all the trees die, we will die”.  

With Maxwell in its corner, the Earth has one more amazing advocate. Maxwell IS making a difference. And so can you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The story above was featured in our News from the Naturehood publication. News from the Naturehood showcases individuals from the UEC community and their inspiring stories - demonstrating how your support has a big impact! To receive this mailing 3x per year and support the UEC, become a sustaining member of The Hive!

Michelle Milford
Milford
Past Employee
Guest Author

With a degree in Zoology and Environmental Studies, Michelle began her career as a zookeeper. An American badger remains her favorite animal - having raised one from a cub.

More from our Blog