How did you get involved with Hands On Greater Portland?
Friends of mine were on the early Hands On Greater Portland board, and they got me involved. I joined the board in 1997. Early on, there was no staff so we just set
up committees that did all the work creating projects, the newsletter, fundraising, etc. We all wore many hats. I was the project coordinator on a couple projects and in charge of setting up projects. That was before we hired an executive director.
What's your favorite cause?
I think I like environmental projects the best, tree planting, ivy
removal, etc.
Why is it important to you to volunteer with your family?
My wife and I started having kids 5 years ago, and so, with the exception of the big Hands On Greater Portland projects, we really haven't volunteered much over the last 5 years, until this last Spring and Summer when Hands On Greater Portland started offering the family friendly projects. The kids are old enough to at least attend and get some benefit out of it (they don't really do much actual volunteering). It's a great family activity. It's healthy, keeps us active, and it's educational for the kids.
What do you see as the benefit of encouraging kids to volunteer?
It's all about instilling values in them at a young age: just the fact that they're outdoors or doing productive work on a day where they might otherwise be sitting in front of the tv or going at one another; also, the value of community, and helping others; I hope they also see it as a fun thing to do, and a chance to meet new people.
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