Judith Huf has been volunteering at Schlitz Audubon for 18 years, mostly as a volunteer land steward, removing invasive plants and planting native plant species. She also participates in bird studies, including monitoring the Bluebird boxes, and other nature studies. She maintains the seasonal exhibit board in the Great Hall and repairs taxidermy. She is a painter, sculptor, illustrator, and exhibit artist. Birding and nature study are her passions.
How did you come to volunteer at the Center?
I moved to Wisconsin from New York in 1995 and started working in the exhibit department of the Milwaukee Public Museum as a volunteer artist. After many years there, I discontinued that work, but I was still looking for ways to keep occupied. I decided on Schlitz Audubon Nature Center because as a birder, I had spent many happy hours there. I want to give back to nature for all the gifts it has given to me, and maintaining the exhibits gives me a chance to use the skills that I have developed over the years.
Share a memorable volunteer moment/experience:
There are so many little things over the years that it is hard to single one thing out. But I remember once when we were doing a nighttime frog survey, and seeing fireflies dancing, listening to the singing frogs and a hooting owl, when suddenly a coyote began howling, too. We all laughed in delight. It was truly a magical moment.
What have you learned while volunteering at Schlitz Audubon?
I have learned so much about plants and animals and the environment that, again, I can’t single things out. Like ecology itself, it is a tangled web.
What do you find rewarding about volunteering?
It connects me with like-minded people, allows me to be useful, and gives a structure to my week.
If you knew someone was thinking of volunteering at the Center, what would you tell them?
It is a great place to connect with other people who love nature, be useful, and learn new things every day. It is a home away from home.
Thank you, Judith, for your 18 years of volunteering at Schlitz Audubon! We appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm, as well as that of all of our volunteers.
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