ambercrav
Registered: November 2010
City/Town/Province: Meridian
Posts: 1
View this Member's Photo Gallery
|
My name is Amber, and I’m a senior at West Lauderdale High School; I’ve immensely contributed to my community throughout my life participating in projects that benefit people, wild life, and the environment as a whole. My school offers numerous volunteer opportunities consisting of: public lands day, trees for fish, and habitat for humanity. One of the most prominent projects I partook in was trees for fish because it was very enjoyable and successful, despite the freezing cold weather. When my chemistry teacher informed me and my peers about it one day in class, I figured it would be a great experience, not to mention beneficial to the fresh water fish. This event took place at eight O’ clock in the morning, February 2010, at Okatibbee Lake.
Initially, we began by getting supplies, which encompassed: gloves, boots, cinder blocks, Christmas trees, and wire. The volunteers were split up into groups that were assigned to diverse regions of the lake. Basically, we wired old Christmas trees to cinder blocks and carried them out in the lake to provide a habitat for the fish. Although it was chilly, all the volunteers, including myself, seemed to have a fun time, especially knowing we did something productive. I feel it is pivotal to contribute to the maintenance of Okatibbee Lake because it’s an essential area in my community. Today, the breath taking waters of the lake and the neighboring forests provide exceptional recreational opportunities including: boating, camping, fishing, hunting, picnicking, swimming, hiking, and simply enjoying the beauty of the parks. The 4, 144 acres of water area, 7,150 acres of land area, and 28 miles of shoreline are what make Okatibbee Lake so important to the community, and why participating in projects are so beneficial to nature. This particular project benefited the fresh water fish by providing a habitat for them so they can successfully reproduce and live longer. It also provides them a safe place to live and hide from predators, and the booming reproduction of the fish can provide the people of the community with food to eat. Participating in this project has opened my eyes to the advantages of contributing to nature and the habitats of our animals. Also, this event sparked my interests to volunteer for other community service involvement that my school offered including: public lands day, which consisted of picking up trash, raking up leaves and pine straw, and building birdhouses at Okatibbee Lake. In addition, I’m more concerned about the beauty of nature and contributing to it by recycling, planting flowers and trees, and protecting wild life.
All in all, participating in this project has changed my outlook on life by educating me of all the things I can do, as a member of my community, to contribute to the beauty of it. Little things like recycling and picking up trash can help tremendously. Putting trees in a lake might not sound like a lot, but it’s amazing what a group of teenagers are capable of doing in four hours. After doing this, I felt like I accomplished so much, and all I could do was smile at the thought of providing the fish with a habitat. It’s astounding how something so modest can make such an immense difference. Those Christmas trees probably meant everything to the fish; I know they enjoyed the trees more than cans, toxic waste, and other litter that people unintentionally throw into the lakes.
|
