I founded an organization called "Big Heart Little Feet". The change I want to make is by helping people and leaving small footprints on the earth. I am encouraging my neighbors, my friends, students in the high school and people I meet on the path to join me in varied environmental activities that will restore the health, safety and beauty of the parks, waterways, lakes and paths in my Town of Natick, MA. I am working to connect town departments and town committees to work together toward the goal of restoring the value of our community.
I feel a fondness for my town, the Town of Natick, Massachusetts. I have lived in Natick for more than thirty years and raised my three children in this community. One of my children is a policeman in Natick. I feel strongly that I owe something special to this place. Since my retirement from teaching three years ago, I have developed a growing interest to restore open space, the many trails and interconnecting waterways. Much work is needed to restore their use for people's enjoyment and to change people's attitudes
There is a disregard for the gifts of lakes, brooks and trails in Natick. There is an abundance of trash in these areas that has been overlooked for years. People throw their bottles, papers, styrofoam, fishing lure and sofas and vacuum cleaners in areas near the train tracks, cemmetaries and in brooks and on the shores of Lake Cochituate. I want to help educate people about recycling, about taking out what they bring in, about the beautiful areas in Natick that are worth taking care of, of making these areas more attractive so that more families and others will feel invited and safe to spend time enjoying them.
I started Big Heart Little Feet one year ago. As a teacher in Wayland, I initiated programs at my school in Wayland.In recent months, I have organized neighbors, friends, students and others I have met on the trails to join me on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week, designated as trail days, to clean up local waterways and trails. Throughout Natick, I have installed trash and recycle "buddy bins" plus walking stick "cribs"along roads, bridges, parks and trailheads. I have been working with the high school environmental club to clean up the senior parking lot area. I am hoping that the students will help mark the many stormdrains in Natick. I am meeting regularly with the Department of Public Works, the Natick Conservation Commission and local associations like the Rotary Club to encourage cooperation and connection. As a result of my work and the work of another local Natick environmental group, I am now the President of the Lake Cochituate Watershed Council, Inc., whose mission is to work to restore the entire watershed of the lake.
