Text and pin photos by Paula Dittrick, TMNCPC blogmaster
Grit means passion and perseverance in working toward a long-term goal over time. That really reminds me of the Texas Master Naturalists, especially last year.
Recently, Texas Master Naturalists awarded an “Against All Odds” pin to those members with 10 or more service hours in 2020. TMNCPC Membership Directors Jan and Kevin Kolk distributed the pins during a chapter workday at Seabourne Creek Nature Park in May.
TMNCPC Vice-President and new class director Shannon Westveer recalls a Winston Churchill quote: “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
Westveer said, “When COVID-19 arrived, familiarity flew out the window. For some, the solution was wait until it returned again. Others opted to adapt and overcome, changing the outcome to a new kind of familiarity. That’s grit.”
Interns in TMNCPC’s 2020 and 2021 classes completed initial training hours on schedule thanks to efforts by Westveer, TMNCPC President Bert Stipelcovich, and others. Stipelcovich also sought other opportunities for TMNCPC members.
“When the pandemic moved the 2020 TMN Annual Meeting to a virtual platform, our chapter immediately volunteered to help host the online presentations,” Stipelcovich said. “After six training sessions, our chapter members filled 96 slots as Content Hosts and facilitated all online sessions of the four-day event. And after each long day, we met and incorporated lessons learned to become better.
“In uncharted territory and under pressure, our chapter performed so well that we were awarded the first-ever Texas Master Naturalist Exemplary Service Award. It’s official: our chapter exemplifies grit and service!”
Terri Hurley, TMNCPC web master and former chapter vice-president , said, “I think we showed grit when we changed from in-person classes to Zoom when COVID hit. And grit was how we kept up with our spring and then fall training class schedules while everyone around us was dropping theirs.”
She also notes TMNCPC researched and organized VSP opportunities that could be done alone or otherwise safely while under Covid restrictions.
For some individual TMNCPC members, grit came from creating a garden without using chemicals. For others, grit comes in organizing community pocket prairies or finding ways to help native bees along with monarchs.
It was grit that kept volunteers making progress at Seabourne even though the volunteer numbers were restricted at times to comply with COVID safety protocols.