The Monday morning sun is already blazing, and outside my new office window NH Audubon is buzzing with activity. Perhaps this is a hold-over from Sunday’s Pollinator Party when the McLane Center was literally abuzz. I attended the party with my daughter Myrica and we went home with a moth crown, plants and seeds for butterflies and hummingbirds, a native bee house, and a much deeper appreciation of our insect world.
Now I hear the buzzing of our summer campers enjoying the first day of camp. I see kids zooming around our native grassland trail, parents dropping off kids, and new camp staff directing families. Kids and colors are flying, like the moths and butterflies behind them in the tall grass.
There is great energy here at New Hampshire Audubon. I am six days into my new tenure, working my way through one-on-one meetings with the staff. Speaking with each of them, I feel the deep commitment, optimism, and excitement for our work and mission. Camp is starting, our ecologists are out in the field, the new trail kiosk is up, and it’s SUMMER – a great time to be out in Nature!
There is another major impression I have from my first week that truly warmed my heart. I met nearly as many NH Audubon volunteers as staff, and ALL of them were smiling, happy, and excited to be here. Our network of volunteers, and the hours they put in to make our work a success, represents the best spirit of what we do. So, I want to send out a special thank you to all of our volunteers – you helped make my first impression a great one!