Brenda Dolma, a retired teacher, found new ways to share her education and art skills and knowledge with children in a fishing weir/science camp.

Vera Stein, an art therapy teacher and flight attendant for Pen Air, found new opportunities to teach art in Bush villages.

Bree Murphy, a graduate student, found her master's thesis subject (educational learning occurring at the convergence of traditional knowledge and western science) as a result of volunteering at a science and culture camp near McGrath.

Friends of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuges are indeed a passionate group of people. Friends' volunteers are educators and advocates for the refuges. They help the refuges with wildlife management and habitat improvement projects. They help fund refuge oriented projects through grants, memberships, donations and other activities. There are many underfunded and understaffed projects and needs of the refuges and these dedicated volunteers strive to assist whenever and wherever they can. Some ways they have served include:

* Helping in science and culture camps;

* Leading bird walks in Native communities;

* Working to control non-native, invasive species that threaten the refuges;

* Testifying before congressional committees in Washington, D. C.;

* Writing advocacy letters and material for newsletters and articles;

* Bringing environmental issues to cities and communities through lectures and plays and photo exhibits;

* Teaching photography and art to native children;

* Rowing a raft transporting kids to fishing weir/science camp;

* Helping the elders prepare meals in remote camps;

* Organizing Refuge Centennial celebrations in five locations; and

* Preparing and packing Rat Prevention Kits for distribution to boaters.

While the refuges obtain many benefits from the work of the volunteers, the Friends also gain knowledge and new skills and rewarding experiences. They learn about the Alaska refuges from refuge staff and from firsthand observations; they learn about Native culture, Bush life and a subsistence lifestyle; they interact with elders and children of all ages in settings which defy description; they increase their ability to be flexible and adaptable when nature changes the schedule and leaves them stranded on a river bank or when supplies and people are unable to arrive when expected; they learn about invasive plants and their potential impact on refuges, and find they are willing to deal with dust, dirt, bugs and sore muscles to prevent their spread. Volunteers also receive gratitude and appreciation from refuge staff and the knowledge they are benefiting present and future generations.

Not everyone is able to go to a remote camp or lead a bird walk or organize an event, but members have found many ways to contribute their unique skills. They may have grant-writing abilities, can do data entry, write a newsletter article or assist in other ways. Many members are employed full-time with families and can contribute only occasionally; some live out of state and help out via computer and teleconferencing. As the membership grows and the refuges find additional ways to use the Friends, additional opportunities will arise.

The Friends' Annual Meeting is taking place at the Kenai NWR Sept. 12. The public is invited to a Pizza Party on Friday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m. This is an opportunity for everyone to see who they are and what they are all about. Come on over and enjoy free pizza and hear about their experiences.

Betty Siegel is the volunteer coordinator for Friends of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuges, an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting conservation of the natural resources of all the Alaska refuges, promoting understanding and appreciation of these refuges and assisting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in meeting its mandates. Go to www.alaskarefugefriends.org for more information or contact Siegel at (907) 235-1598 or Sharon Baur, vice president, at (907) 226-2135. For photos of Friends in action go to www.homernews.com.