Celebrating National Volunteer Month: A Volunteer Impact Story
Samantha planting flowers at a Bee Patch managed by the Glen Ellen Girl Scouts at Arrowood Vineyards.
How Volunteering Inspired My Passion & Interest to Pursue Entomology - Samantha Murray
Bees are fascinating creatures. They devote their lives to serving the queen, foraging for pollen and nectar, and defending the hive. Characteristically, bees have a strong work ethic and are community minded, putting the best interest of the colony before themselves. There is something about these dedicated life-giving pollinators that captures my heart.
My experience with the bees all started when Conservation Works reached out to my Junior Girl Scout troop to create a bee garden. They funded us to map out a blueprint, pick bee friendly flowers, and plant a garden. This project really brought out the creativity of our troop as we eagerly chose an array of blooming and year round colorful flowers for the bees. There was plenty of drafting to create the ultimate garden that would attract all the bees we possibly could. After we finished planting our flowers and bee friendly plants into our Arrowwood garden, we were so proud of our creation!
A couple of years later, I learned that an internship with Conservation Works was a possibility. I sought out an interview and made a successful connection. With my internship, I get to recreate that special feeling I had planting my first bee garden by guiding the younger Girl Scouts in creating their first bee garden. I cherish the connections I make with the younger Girl Scouts creating these lasting projects.
My exposure to passionate people within the bee community, who all live the mantra that bees are integral to life, sparked an inspiration within me. I appreciate these caring and friendly bee lovers who are eager to share their wisdom of supporting the bees with me. The bees have awakened a sense of urgency within me to prioritize proper environmental stewardship. These fascinating creatures are so small, yet, the forever impact on my life, so big. I owe my passion and interest to pursue entomology (which is the study of insects) in college to my wonderful experience with Conservation Works.
~Samantha Murray