Catrina Dillard is our Americorp volunteer for the upcoming year. Each month she will have her own column talking about her work here at Green River Preserve. First, an introduction…
Catrina, originally from Atlanta, has worked for 13 years as an art and drama teacher in Georgia and Rhode Island. Her work with Outward Bound and at a high school community garden led her to pursue a path that would focus on connecting children with the natural world and improving the environment.
To strengthen her commitment to education children and the community about stewardship, she joined Americorps Project Preserve. As the Environmental Outreach Member, she will initiate a water quality monitoring program, further develop a sustainable agriculture farm-to-table project, and educate people in the surrounding area about Green River Preserve and its mission through hikes, outreach activities and teaching opportunities. She will be also be working part of the time with Muddy Sneakers.
In addition to her university degree in art education, she has received her certificate from the Master Naturalist program at the University of Georgia and has most recently worked as a naturalist in Burnsville, NC.
Please join Green River Preserve in welcoming Stephanie “Ruby” Compton to its administrative staff as the new Summer Camp Program Director. Summer 2012 campers and staff may remember Ruby as a song-singing (Little Bitty Frog), geocaching, nature-loving mentor. She was also an extremely devoted “adopt-a-mentor” to her cabins and an enthusiastic contributor to all of the camp programs. These were the qualities that attracted GRP to her and why she was hired as a mentor. Her many talents did not go unnoticed during the summer by administrators, fellow staff members, and campers. 
News and updates from Green River Preserve alumni…
We are having lots of fun seeing many Green River Preserve campers and staff. The Charleston event in late September was a big hit with about 80 people in attendance. We raffled a retired OBX kayak and feasted on a delicious low country shrimp boil. GRP staff Hazel Ketchum, Harrison Boyd, Ian Sanchez, and Jonathan Greyprovided awesome music along with Hazel’s husband and band partner Bob on the keyboard. About $1,200 was raised for the Campership Fund.
Sandy Schenck, Green River Preserve’s Founder and Executive Director, was awarded the ACA Southeastern’s 2012 Community Service Award. He was recognized at the ACA Southeastern Fall Camp Conference in Charleston, South Carolina in early October.
This summer Green River Preserve celebrated its Silver Anniversary – 25 Years of Summer Camp. A celebration was held at camp on June 30th, 2012. The afternoon was filled with camp tours, activities and games, the camp store and hugs, kisses, and fond memories.
