Amanda is November’s Volunteer of the Month

When Amanda discovered the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) was expanding their volunteer program (thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation), she contacted the GRCA immediately. Disappointed by the amount of waste left along the Belwood shoreline after the summer, Amanda encouraged the GRCA to help focus some volunteer efforts around her beloved stomping grounds.

Volunteer Program Coordinator, Bronwen Buck, says, “Amanda has a great environmental ethic coupled with a strong sense of place. Her desire to “be the change” within her own community was clearly evident at our first meeting.”

Amanda has been instrumental in promoting a GRCA clean-up near the Belwood Lake Bridge. She went above and beyond the role of most volunteers involved in a general clean-up event as she helped spread the word, suggested critical places to concentrate effort, and even tallied the amount of trash collected at the end of the day. Thanks to these efforts, in 2015 the GRCA gathered over 300 lbs. of trash, such as plastic bottles and food containers.

Amanda wrote to the GRCA that having several volunteers show up to help clean-up the shoreline made her feel “wonderfully happy” and “extremely grateful”.

The GRCA is now preparing to organize more autumn clean-ups in the area and you can be sure they are seeking out Amanda’s local knowledge, ability to mobilize fellow community members and passion to make a difference.

Thank you Amanda for activating your local community on such an important issue! Your efforts are so appreciated.