Reflecting back, I’ve learned a lot during my term here at Squam Lakes Association (SLA). I’ve learned what I don’t like and, even more so, what I do. However, of all the things I’ve learned, the one I’ll carry with me the longest from this experience is the people who made it what it was. My cohort and all the wonderful people in this community have left a lasting impact on me.
Here’s the thing, the service ain’t always glamorous. You’ll return from the field soaked, shivering, and covered in mud. Your boat has broken down, and you’re paddling through the wind, contemplating where it all went wrong. But then you come to shore, and one of our long-term volunteers, we’ll call him H. for privacy, is there to greet you with homemade muffins and a boisterous story. It’s an instant attitude change. There is no possible way to be upset when H.’s smiling face and his beautiful dog are waiting to share the latest adventure or pick up on a joke from a previous conversation. He brings new excitement to daily activities. When I’m jaded about water sampling or diving, he seems to always appear and bring new life to the task.
Along the same lines, volunteers who come out for projects or trail workdays are batteries in our backs as well. When someone brings their own perspective to a monotonous activity, it breaks things up and turns something routine into something new. And, of course, conversation isn’t all business. That would be stifling. I’ve learned about the history of the lake, how people ended up in the Lakes Region, and how it captured their attention and made them stay.
One particular volunteer, I., you get the gist, came out with us in the winter for water quality sampling. Now, when I say I was at my wit’s end with winter, I truly mean it. Even thinking about it now, I can feel that permanent cold in my bones. I. was our first volunteer of the winter, and she warmed it right up with her infectious energy and endless enthusiasm for what we were doing. On the way there, we chatted animatedly about being from the South and our experiences in New England. We talked about our lives, how we ended up where we are now, and, despite being very different, it felt like I had a piece of home with me in that 15-passenger van. On the ice, she continued to ask questions and volunteered to do each step of the sampling process. For the first time that season, I felt warmth and light on the ice.
It isn’t all volunteers, either. When we Lake Host, it’s often a long day of greeting people as they arrive and helping things run smoothly at the boat launch. Most people are absolutely lovely, and I’ve had some great conversations, but everyone arrives with their own plans and places to be. Sometimes, a familiar face coming through gives you a welcome break from the routine.
There was one community member we could always count on for that. We’ll call him T. Everyone in my cohort knew he would come around, ask where we were from, and then make a guess. He got some right, missed others, but day after day, he was there with his dog and a genuine interest in us and how we were doing.
My most memorable, recent, and embarrassing interaction with him happened a few weeks ago. He came up and guessed that I was from Cali. I am not, but my name rhymes with the girl who is, and they’re both “Ca” states, so close enough. We got to chatting about this and that, our hometowns, our time in Holderness, his favorite hikes, where he recommends getting shoes, and so on. Then he asked me what his name was, and, classically, I had no clue. I guessed about ten names before he took mercy on me and told me, complete with a tip on how to remember people’s names. Good-natured and full of energy, he headed out, and I repeated his name a million times so I would remember it next time.
I never saw him again, but the other Lake Hosts told me that he asked after me and checked in to see if I finally knew his name.
These are the moments that have made my time at SLA so meaningful. The work itself can be challenging, unpredictable, and sometimes physically demanding, but those moments are often what make the experience memorable. The people I’ve met have reminded me that the work we do is about more than water sampling, trail work, lake hosting, or any individual task. It is about the community that surrounds this place and the people who care deeply about it.
I’m at SLA because of these people, whose earnest joy and care peek through the rough days like sunbeams. I crave these moments with all these wonderful people. What I do is worth it not because I receive millions of thanks or because I make millions of dollars. It’s worth it because I get to meet people I never would have otherwise and contribute, in a small way, to the landscape that brings them joy.
Casey is a Watershed Resource Assistant at the Squam Lakes Association from Wilmington, North Carolina. Growing up near the coast fostered her passion for aquatic ecosystems and water quality. She has enjoyed exploring the Squam Lake watershed, learning about the diverse species that call it home, and contributing to ongoing conservation and water quality efforts in the Lakes Region while engaging with the local community throughout her AmeriCorps service! Learn more about Casey here.