Wilderness Heroes: Fabulous Volunteers

PEOPLE POWER
When the Saints Go Marching in, Things Happen. . .

Imagine your favorite wild place in Montana. Snowy peaks, clean water, wildlife, granddaddy trees, or the hush of the land might come to mind. But do you imagine people? Not the ones you meet on the trail, but those unseen folks who have preserved this incredible place? Well, you should. Every wild place in Montana has patron saints, and their spirits swim in the waters, ride the wind through the pines, and call out in the voice of the hawk or the elk. They're not typical saints, though—most are still living, and few are meek and mild.

But in other ways, they are like real saints—everyday people infusing everyday tasks with otherworldly passion. Some lick stamps and bake cookies. Some coordinate special events, some network in their communities, others meet with politicians.

Still others produce newsletters, facilitate philosophical discussions, lead Wilderness Walks, take photographs, work with tribal leaders, appear on TV and radio, launch membership drives, host parties, write articles and alerts, or perhaps perform an occasional magic trick. And then there are the meetings—oh, the meetings!—chapter meetings, committee meetings, council meetings— many requiring harrowing drives on icy roads.

There's another term for this dedicated group of Wilderness advocates: Montana Wilderness Association volunteers. These are the people who are the heart and soul of MWA, the ones who supply the hope, grit, sweat, and sheer dogged determination year after year that carries the Wilderness cause forward. Volunteers are the soil from which our organization springs.

Let's look at the lives of a few MWA members to learn more about their heroic—and it is heroic—work, and to be inspired by their example.

AN UNEXPECTED CALLING
Some volunteers were surprised by "the call" but rose to the occasion. As microbiologist and sometimes magician Walter Walsh of Helena explains, "I was the kind of guy who complained a lot but didn't do much." A life-long hiker, he attended a Wilderness Walk one day and cracked a joke so hilarious he was asked to join the local board. And thus his Wilderness career was born.

Now, a few years later, he has served on the Wild Divide Chapter board. Walsh has also coordinated volunteers for a convention, clocked hours and hours of phone banking, and written countless letters to agencies and elected officials.

Dan Bennett has lead many of our popular and powerful Wilderness Walks, introducing and reaffirming important connections to wild areas.

THAT WHICH YOU LOVE. . .
Other volunteer focus on something they already love and turn it to the Wilderness cause. Kassia Randzio has a passion for involving youth in the conservation movement. She first came to MWA as a convention volunteer in 2009 and is now on the state council.

Charlie O'Leary Charlie has been a champion of Wilderness issues his whole career. If the sun is shining, the odds are good that he is taking the horses out into the Spires and exploring.

His work as the State President of Montana Backcountry Horseman has also been instrumental in educating folks about the importance of the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act to their membership. His work to gain the endorsement of the state chapter has had an impact both in Montana and Washington D.C. in recognizing how important Wilderness is to horseman and Montana's future.

His passion for Wilderness always shines through. Whether it is fighting for the Tendoy Trail to stay wild or his work with the Montana High Divide Trails, Charlie is always working for more Wilderness and collaboration efforts in our state.

IT'S THE CONNECTION. . .
While alerts and newsletters draw attention to issues, most volunteers agree that the most important tool is a personal connection—sharing the Wilderness message with colleagues, friends, and family.

Bob and Shirley Bayley, from the Madison Gallatin Chapter, have shown through their commitment as MWA members by promoting that Wilderness is not only an intrinsic value but also an opportunity to educate others.

The Bayleys show their leadership by always being available when a project needs to be accomplished. Whether they have are opening their homes to host a house party to promote and educate their neighbors about The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act or putting pen to paper and making sure they spread the message of new Wilderness through a Letter to the Editor.

The Bayleys have also been instrumental in making the trip from Ennis to Bozeman to help re-invigorate the Madison-Gallatin Chapter. This dedication continues to shine through even when the roads are bad and the ice is slick!

TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Personal connections are both a primary tool and a major inspiration for many Wilderness advocates, especially when the trail gets long and dusty.

Missoulian Dale Harris has been involved in MWA and Wilderness issues for over 30 years—so long that his life, his community, and his volunteerism are inseparable. "The people are so much a part of my life. I see them almost every day," he says, and adds that they make the hard work fun. "I'm not doing this if I can't have fun," he insists—a bold statement from a man who serves on the national "Roadless Review" committee and travels cross-country each month to help preserve roadless areas nationwide.

MWA's president Daphne Herling, lives in Missoula and spends countless hours working with communities, elected officials and MWA staff to ensure future success of the organization. She also a big fan of Montana's wilderness beauty wand is an avid hiker, backpacker, paddler, biker, and cross-country skier. Born in Manila and educated in England, Daphne has worked in the nonprofit world for almost 20 years.

LEADING THE WAY
Indeed, without thousands of Wilderness lovers dedicated to the land, Montana's wild places won't survive. But when each saint claims a corner or two of Montana's wildlands, they keep Wilderness alive and thriving. Like the saints of old, they make the earth a more heavenly place. And watch out. When they come marching in, that's power.