President's Column

by Jim Clark

It was a dark and stormy Saturday at the Arcata Marsh. The dowitchers were following the tide out and the Green-winged Teals were exhibiting early courting behavior. Suddenly a voice rang out: "Hi! I'm Jim Clark, and I'm here to lead the marsh walk this morning." It was my time to "give." Four hardy and one not-so-hardy folks showed up for the walk. It's hard to be hardy when you are four years old and its wet, windy, and cold! The four-year-old and his parents had to turn back so the remaining three continued on. For three it was a good time to walk the marsh, and for three others it was better to return later, perhaps another day.

Like other Saturday morning marsh docents, I lead the walks three or four times a year. I'm sure I'm not the only one that gets more back than I give.

The tide, season, weather and the age of a child set rhythms to which we should pay close attention. Our lives and our happiness depend on it. The parents of the cold little kid wisely took him back to shelter so that walking in the marsh would not be a miserable experience. He'll be back.

Volunteering for Redwood Region Audubon Society can be a lot like walking in the marsh in heavy weather. If the experience is not good, there is little reason to return. Let's all try to keep the four-year-old in us happy by not stretching ourselves too thin. Those who have not volunteered for a while, please consider that now might be your time to have some fun, and help keep the four-year-old in someone else happy. And many thanks to those regular volunteers!

Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502
Last updated January 1998