As Marketing Refresh has grown over the last year, the subject of volunteering and giving back to the community has become more and more prominent in our weekly meetings. Though still a relatively small team, we are fortunate to have assembled a group who fully believes in giving back to this great city that has been so kind to us. So now we have Community Refresh, the giving-back-because-we-can side of Marketing Refresh. We are planning great things for 2016, and will make available opportunities for you to get involved as well.
New Year, New Mission
Our first volunteer effort took place the first week in 2016 at the Houston Arboretum. The weather cooperated that morning, offering a typical Houston winter day…overcast, humid, mild temperatures, perfect for our first mission of the year! The Houston Arboretum is a beautiful, peaceful, 155-acre urban sanctuary in the heart of the city, at the western edge of Memorial park. It plays a vital role in protecting native plants and wildlife where development threatens their survival. The mission of the Arboretum is to provide education about the natural environment to all people, and to protect and enhance the site as a sanctuary for native plants and animals. As one of the first nature education facilities in the state, it provides services to nearly 200,000 visitors annually, as well as providing nature education for more than 10,000 children annually.
Team-Building And Trail-Clearing
We arrived fully-caffeinated and eager to work. Half our time was spent mulching old and new-growth trees near the entrance, and half was spent clearing fallen branches, vines and other debris in order to allow room for a variety of native plant species to thrive. What we also got from this experience was an idea about how important this place is to the community, and how, with a little elbow grease, the wheels of progress and development can be gently steered to avoid impacting a sanctuary such as this. Learning about the upcoming Master Plan for the Arboretum, as well as things like the Savanna Project, were great take-aways, personally. We had a great time with the staff at the Arboretum, and encourage everyone to grab a few friends and see how you can help.
If you or your group would like to volunteer at the Houston Arboretum, don’t hesitate to call Volunteer Manager, Lynne Hester at 713-366-0375 or email her at [email protected].
