Earth Team Volunteer's Gallery

Come meet some of our finest — our Earth Team volunteers!

• Joan Rogers - What's a Woman To Do?
• Laurel Pond Reclamation at Fort Dix -
• Lola Quesenberry - 18,000 Hours of Volunteer Service
• Min Raibman - She keeps the office on the straight and narrow with her clerical wizardry UPDATED
• Rob Cermak - Virtual Volunteer
• Patricia Stallings, Fate, Destiny, or Serendipity?
• Thornton Hole, Retired NRCS Soil Scientist
• Wetland mitigation site 

Wetland mitigation site

  Volunteers visit the wetland mitigation site, shown at right, weekly and contribute to an inventory of all vertebrate species. Birds are an important focus, and volunteers are expected to have some skill in identifying birds by both sight and sound. Amphibians are identified either through their vocalizations, or through visual observation of tadpoles or adults. The success of wood duck nest boxes is measured by the number of egg membranes (indicating a successful hatching) within the boxes each year. The overall inventory gives us an idea of how well the site is functioning as a viable wetland.

Tim Dunne, NRCS Biologist, is seen here performing the annual inventory while cleaning out a wood duck nest box. Occasionally, an unexpected species takes up residence in nest boxes built for wood ducks. If you click on this photo at left to enlarge it you will see a tiny flying squirrel, just above the door hinge. It was not clear who was more surprised.

Laurel Pond Reclamation at Fort Dix

April 2003 – (Fort Dix, NJ) While many members of the US Army were busy rebuilding Iraq; reservists, military dependents, and other civilians were working at home restoring the Laurel Pond recreation area on Fort Dix, New Jersey. This group of over 170 volunteers planted hundreds of flowers, shrubs and trees, stabilized the eroding shoreline of Laurel Pond with natural materials, picked up trash, washed existing picnic benches, installed new signs, built a trail bridge, and developed a 1/4 mile interpretive trail.

PHOTO: Lieutenant Colonel Victor Stephenson Deputy Commander of Fort Dix, New Jersey and his sons, James and Brian are seen above, planting a tree along the shore. More photos on Laurel Pond.

To celebrate Arbor Day, 32 trees were planted at Laurel Pond. These included arborvitaes to serves as a visual buffer, plus dogwoods and flowering cherries for show. In addition, a hundred flowering shrubs were planted.

A number of other volunteers worked on stabilizing the eroding shoreline of Laurel Pond. They staked a coconut fiber filled “Biolog” to stop erosion on the pond’s edge. Once the biolog was in place wetland plants, including flowers were planted in and around the biolog. In time the biolog will decompose and the plant roots will hold the bank in place.

Volunteers performed other important task at Laurel Pond. Groups of cub scouts, girl scouts, and Children of all ages helped with trash pick up. This included scouring the woods for trash. About forty acres of woods, the pond and its shoreline were cleaned of trash. Additionally, picnic benches were power washed. Benches received new coats of paint, and a ¼ mile interpretive trail was created.

This Earth Day event was one of the best at Fort Dix. “As far as scope and number of people, this was three or four times the amount of involvement” according to Roger Smith, the Natural Resources Manager. The restoration coordinators, Melissa Pawlowski and Terry Smith consider their efforts an enormous success. “We’re already seeing increased use of the recreation area, after just one week” stated Melissa. Terry continued, “Children are already asking us what are we doing next year”.

More photos from Laurel Pond.

Thornton Hole, Retired Soil Scientist

Thornton Hole Awarded NRCS State Conservationist Award - January 2003

State Conservationist Tony Kramer presented Thornton (Thornie) J. F. Hole with the State Conservationist's Award on January 10, 2003, at NRCS Employee Appreciation Day. Nominated for this award by the Hammonton staff, Thornie retired from NRCS in 1994, but continues working as a volunteer with Hammonton Soils.

Thornie came to New Jersey in 1969 when the agency was still known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). He worked at the Mays Landing SCS field office as a Soil Scientist until 1973. From 1073-1979 he served as the Soil Scientist Party Leader at the Toms River field office. Thornie returned to Mays Landing as a District Conservationist from 1978-1989 and worked in Hammonton as a Soil Scientist from 1989-1994. A hard working, consistent and a dependable team player, Thornie actually trained numerous NRCS employees, many who still work with NRCS in New Jersey.

Thornie was born in Ohio on August 2, 1931. He graduated from Ohio State University and started his career with the Soil Conservation Service in 1952 as a student trainee in Columbus, Ohio. He started full time employment as a Soil Scientist in Tiffin, Ohio in 1954 where he performed Soils Mapping for Farm Planning. He worked on the Erie Co. Soil Survey during 1963-1966. He was part of the Soil Survey Party in Marietta, Ohio during 1966-1969.

Thornie's service and accomplishments include:

• co-authored 2 articles that were published in the Ohio Academy of Science.
• member of the NJ Association of Professional Soil Scientists and served as Secretary/Treasurer for a number of years.
• member of the Firman E Bear Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.
• assisted and/or completed the Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Ocean, and Salem Counties soil survey reports.

In addition to his service through NRCS, Thornie served in the Army on Active Duty from 1955-1957, and spent 28 yrs. including active duty in the reserves and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Thornie resides in Egg Harbor City, NJ with his wife Joanne. He has 5 children and 8 grandchildren.

 Fate, Destiny, or Serendipity?

Patricia Stallings, one of our newest summer interns, came to NRCS almost by mistake. In 2001, Ken Taaffe, the Volunteer Coordinator advertised for a part time receptionist at our Somerset office. He inadvertently put his office location of Hainesport as the position site, which is 50 miles away. Patricia responded, which puzzled Ken. Why would someone volunteer for a receptionist position so far away? Ken called Patricia to explain and discovered he made the error. After speaking with Patricia, Ken invited her to come to Hainesport to assist with office operations and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) projects. The Hainesport staff liked Patricia so much they kept in contact after she went off to college.

Patricia is double majoring in Policy and Management and Environmental Policy with a minor in Engineering Studies at Carnegie Mellon University. As if that wouldn’t keep her busy, she also is on the Green Practices Committee and a member of the Sustainable Students at Carnegie Mellon.

This May, she heard about the summer internship with NRCS. With her experience as a volunteer, she applied, receiving excellent recommendations from the Hainesport staff, and got the job.

So was this Fate, Destiny, or Serendipity? You decide!
 

Lola Quesenberry – 18,000 Hours of Volunteer Service

Lola Quesenberry celebrates 19 years volunteer of service with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Lola has logged 18,000 plus hours since her start in Blythe, California in 1982 working with the Palo Verde Resource Conservation District. In 1988, Lola and her husband, Steve, transferred to New Jersey. Fortunately, for New Jersey, she continued to volunteer for NRCS. During her long volunteer service, she has helped out with irrigation water management, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (PL566) projects, watershed plans, and wildlife management. And best of all… SHE’S NOT DONE, YET!

Photo above: Lola working with Cumberland County Soil Conservation District staff on phone lines for Upper Deerfield weatherstation.

Photo at left: Lola Quesenberry (center) accepting national Earth Team award from Michele Eginoire (right), NRCS National Volunteer Program Coordinator, for her service to the Earth Team. Ken Taaffe, New Jersey's Earth Team Volunteer Program Coordinator, stands proudly to Lola's left.

Rob Cermak - Virtual Volunteer

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ROB? — When Rob Cermak started volunteering for the Earth Team, he lived in Middlesex County, New Jersey, but volunteered for the South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council in Hammonton. You might think that is a long commute, but it involved no commute whatsoever! Rob does his volunteering on his computer over the phone lines. Rob, you see, manages the RC&D website (http://www.sjrcd.org) and has done so since 1998. He is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the web site and other aspects of helping keep the vast network of weather stations operational. Rob houses the Council’s main Internet computer in his home, as well as the many support computers required to make this web system function.

Steve Quesenberry, South Jersey RC&D Coordinator, says, "Rob has done a remarkable job automating the Internet experience for our customers. This year, in our work with United Water Toms River, we had over 120 days of data processing and report delivery without a single failure. Our reports arrived at the TV, radio stations, and newspapers in time for their broadcast and press runs every day."

Rob has been available to answer all questions concerning the data quality and other Internet concerns, even when he travels. Rob has been instrumental in assisting the Council to develop the remaining web site with his vast computer programming knowledge and quick wit.

But back to the question, "WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ROB?" Well, the photo above was taken in Fairbanks, Alaska! That's where Rob now works for the University of Alaska as a Systems & Software Engineer — and volunteers for us in New Jersey. STAY WARM, ROB!

Joan Rogers - What's a Woman To Do?

Joan Rogers is a mother of seven girls and grandmother of four who works a full time job with the USDA Farm Services Agency. These responsibilities would be enough for most women, but not our Joan. She also volunteers for the Earth Team. Joan is the one who organizes, tallies, and files all the personnel information for the hundreds of Earth Team members who volunteer each year for the Earth Team.

Her supervisor, Ken Taaffe, likens her to the elves in the Fairy Tale, "The Elves and the Shoemaker." In this fairy tale, you may recall, the shoemaker cuts out the leather for the shoes to be made the next day. He then wakes up in the morning to find a perfect set of shoes made. After several shoes are completed during nights, the shoemaker stays up and discovers that elves come out after dark and complete the shoes. Well, Joan is the same as the elves. Ken leaves the work to be completed on a table … and Joan does it before the crack of dawn!

Min Raibman update, December 2006:

Min Raibman was honored for her 15 years of volunteer service by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on Friday, December 15, 2006. The agency recognized Ms. Raibman for her service during their All Employees Meeting and Awards Program held at the Rutgers EcoComplex in Bordentown.

Min works one to two days a week at the agency’s office on Kozloski Road in Freehold. Now, just this side of her 91st birthday, the Manalapan resident still gives the same answer when you ask her why she continues to volunteer. “It keeps me off the streets,” she says.

Min Raibman - "It keeps me off the streets," she said with a wink.

Min has alternating working as a WAE (when funds are available) and volunteering her time at the Freehold Service Center at least 1-2 days per week since 1991, keeping the field office on the straight and narrow with her clerical wizardry and motherly scolding. She started her SCS/NRCS career as a youngster with the Senior Volunteer Program of Monmouth County.  Min Raibman started her career with the "Earth Team," NRCS's volunteer program, when the agency was still known as Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and she was 75 years young.

When you ask her why she continues with her commitment to NRCS, she explains, "It keeps me off the streets." You have to look closely for her wink, because she really doesn’t need anything else to keep her busy. Min has had a full volunteer schedule not just with NRCS, but also with delivering Senior Meals and the Good Neighbors Program, for which she drove folks in her development to doctor appointments and shopping, until she gave up her driving privileges this past winter.  She now keeps busy with volunteering at the children’s ward at Freehold’s Centra-State Hospital in addition to a very active social schedule with friends and family, not to mention hosting weekly canasta games.

Min is in charge of filling and tracking soil survey orders via an Access database, creating cooperator folders and address cards, mailings, keeping our literature and form supplies stocked, and a dozen other tasks essential to running a field office. We’re very lucky to have her on the Earth Team. She has definitely left her mark everywhere in the Freehold office, and we just don’t know how we’d get along without her.

When she manages to find some spare time, Min loves to bake, see shows on Broadway and at the Paper Mill Playhouse, and dote on her family, especially her two great-granddaughters.

Last Modified: April 11, 2008