Carol Englehart
Capacity Teams
Share your talents & skills with us.
Communications, quarterly meetings
Community Outreach, ongoing events
Outings, ongoing events
Stewards Teams
Research, monitor, and advocate
for environmental issues.
Forests & Wildlife, 2nd Mon. 7:00 pm
Water & Wetlands, 2nd Mon. 7:00 pm
Campaign Teams
Lead grassroots advocacy campaigns
on our most pressing issues.
Beyond Oil, 4th Monday at 5:00 pm
Land Use & Transportation, 2nd Mon. 6:00 pm
Clean Energy, 4th Tues. 6:30 pm
Zero Waste, 1st Tues. 7:00 pm
Geographic Teams
Organize in your city for 100% Clean Energy
and other local needs.
Rochester, 2nd Mon. 6:30 pm
Duluth, 1st Tues. 5:30 pm
Office Volunteers
Support mailings, data entry, etc.
Tuesday & Wednesday, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
I recently volunteered to help JR Hunte, Sierra Club outings staff Program Coordinator, at the Sanneh Foundation in St. Paul. I think I truly received as much as I gave.
We were helping children, ages five to ten, learn directions using a compass. Starting in the gym, JR helped the children find true north. Then we took the activity outdoors to the community center grounds. Using directional degree numbers, the children searched for marker flags in trees and other areas of the park.
The children were thrilled to have a natural outdoor activity, and experienced a sense of accomplishment at being able to succeed in this task. The simple job of finding each marker filled the children with awe.
Science journalist Sandi Schwartz writes: “Awe allows us to transcend the ordinary, tests our concept of time and scale, gives us the sense of being small in a grand universe, and helps us to truly be in the moment.” Awe, says Schwartz, broadens social connections, stimulates curiosity, expands creativity, and leads to more kindness and generosity.
Our outings program, led by dedicated staff and volunteers, is helping young and old to have fun, create common bonds, learn about the natural world, and experience personal power. And we’re helping create new environmental stewards all over Minnesota. That’s pretty awe-inspiring!
Carol Engelhart is a volunteer leader with the Sierra Club North Star Chapter’s Outings Team.