According to Maria Tice who coordinates the generous contributions of labor, those hours are worth $29, 463. She based this calculation on statistics from the Independent Sector, which values a volunteer hour in the State of Indiana at $24.13.
What do Merry Lea’s volunteers do? Some arrive before sunrise, tend mist nests for seven or eight hours straight and brave the beaks of cardinals caught by the bird banding program. Others keep excited children focused during hikes. The dramatically inclined impersonate skunks, owls or other animals for the Enchanted Forest program. Still others tend gardens, help with land management surveys, clean, sew, shelve books or stuff envelopes.
The greatest number of volunteer hours came from Sethu Ndodana, an international volunteer from Mbabane, Eswatini, who is spending the year at the Merry Lea Sustainable Farm. With 72 hours, Julie Davidson, Columbia City, was the local volunteer most frequently at Merry Lea.
Like many of the programs volunteers teach, the evening celebrated all five senses. Participants were treated to the taste of wild rice with mushrooms and sausage, the smell of pear crisp just out of the oven, the thrum of a ukulele, table décor that featured thank-you notes from children and the warmth of friendship.
Since a team of educators just can’t help themselves, attendees also left more knowledgeable about nature than they were when they arrived. Carol Good-Elliott, who heads up Merry Lea’s bird banding program, described some of the 256 birds she and the volunteers banded. A new catch this year was a worm-eating warbler with a brood patch. This species has never been recorded breeding this far north. They typically nest south of Indianapolis. Another unique find was a song sparrow that has been caught in Merry Lea’s nets six times. It was first banded in 2013.
To volunteer at Merry Lea, contact Maria Tice at mariact@goshen.edu.
