Recently, the Press spoke with West Bare Hill Road's Jon Panek about his career in volunteerism. Panek is chairman of the board at Massachusetts Audubon and vice-chairman of the board at Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry.
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| Jon Panek checks out the new growth in his garden. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz) |
Press: How long have you lived in Harvard?
Panek: My wife Jessie and I moved to Harvard in 1994, making the long journey across I-495 from Boxborough.
Press: What do you like most about living here?
Panek: Harvard grasped the importance of conservation land and preserving rural settings much earlier than many towns. This was key to maintaining the feel that everybody in town prizes so highly. Harvard doesn't feel like a bedroom community. We have a vibrant town identity; the school's playing fields along Mass. Ave. provide excitement and activity throughout the day; the town Common, the architectural jewels, and Bare Hill Pond all make Harvard unique and special. When I drive past the ever-changing sandwich-boards in the town center, I am constantly amazed at the many activities available in our little, rural community!
Press: What is your role with Mass. Audubon?
Panek: I was appointed to the Mass. Audubon Council in 2000 (the first year of the Council's existence under their new president, Laura Johnson). I was elected to the board of directors in 2001, and have served as chairman of the board since 2006. Directors serve as unpaid volunteers, offering their time, energy, and myriad talents.
Press: What led you to join the institution?
Panek: I joined Mass. Audubon in 1985 when I moved to the area and coveted the 10 percent Drumlin Farm Gift Shop discount that a membership provided. In the late 1990s, my wife and I decided to become more personally involved in their land protection efforts across the state.
Press: What does Mass. Audubon do?
Panek: Mass Audubon's mission is to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife. We accomplish this using three different strategies. The shortest-term is land protection. This can run the gamut from outright purchase of a parcel of ecologically significant land to creating a multipartner team of conservation organizations, funders and landowners to permanently protect important land through conservation restrictions, agricultural preservation restrictions, and use of various tax and financial tools.
Our second, mid-range strategy is to inform and educate policymakers at all levels of government—local communities, Beacon Hill, and Washington. For example, Mass. Audubon reviews all legislation filed on Beacon Hill (many thousands of bills annually!) to see if there are environmentally significant aspects (sometimes buried in otherwise unrelated bills). If we feel it is appropriate, we will talk with key representatives and senators to advocate for sound policy decisions. Topics include water usage, wind turbine siting, an enhanced bottle bill, and even our Lights Out Boston initiative, which reduces energy usage and protects migrating birds at the same time.
The third, long-term strategy is education. We have 50 wildlife sanctuaries open to the public across the commonwealth, from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. At about 20 of these, we have staffed Nature Centers and offer programs to our visitors. These are aimed at a wide range of participants, from preschool children to adults and elders. Typical programs include Owl Prowls, Maple Sugaring, Winter Wildlife Tracking, and Ponding. Mass. Audubon hosts hundreds of school field trips every year and even brings our programs into the schools themselves. The goal is to instill a curiosity and enjoyment of nature in young people. When these young people grow up, they are aware of their environment, have some knowledge of it, and most of all, care for it.
Press: Where is the closest Audubon sanctuary in relation to Harvard?
Panek: The closest sanctuary is also our most popular. Drumlin Farm in Lincoln is well-loved by many people, who remember visiting during a school field trip or taking their children there on a sunny weekend. In addition to the usual trails, fields, and ponds to explore, Drumlin Farm is a working farm. Visitors can interact with goats, sheep, and pigs. There is a poultry house with many different varieties of chickens to see. There is a large field planted with vegetables, which are available for purchase at the sanctuary entrance. Finally, there is a terrific exhibit on Bird Hill. About six large raptors, or birds of prey, live in large enclosures and can be viewed up close. These birds were injured and rehabilitated, but for various reasons cannot be returned to the wild.
Press: Have you always been interested in environmental causes?
Panek: Not explicitly. Rather, I was fortunate to grow up with access to spectacular pieces of nature: Miles of riding trails through woods and fields in a town much like Harvard; a rustic summer cabin in the Great Marsh on the North Shore; and college in New Hampshire near the White Mountains and the Connecticut River. I later realized how crucial those experiences were in my understanding of nature, and that rather than being typical, many people had nothing like that. This developed into an interest in protecting land and open space so that people could explore and enjoy nature.
Press: Tell us about your work with Loaves & Fishes.
Panek: I am currently vice-chairman of the board at Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry on Devens, and have been actively involved since about 2004. Since its founding in 1985, Loaves & Fishes has always borrowed space from churches, restaurants, local businesss and vacant buildings on Devens. In order to create our own space, we needed to raise over $1M to refurbish an abandoned building given us by the Devens Enterprise Commission. I worked with the Board to develop a case statement for the campaign, and to establish a permanent endowment to cover new expenses we'd never had—heat, utilities, insurance and maintenance!
Press: What brought you to Loaves & Fishes, and why is it important to you?
Panek: Jessie and I have always supported our local food pantries, shelters, and community suppers. It just seems like a natural way to share some of what we have with others in our own community. I guess that's what "community" means to us.
Press: How do your roles compare at the two organizations?
Panek: While Mass. Audubon and Loaves & Fishes are vastly different sizes, the skills needed to run a successful nonprofit are often the same. I have been able to bring skills I learned at Mass. Audubon to our Pantry operations on Devens. These include governance, planning, and working with volunteers.
Press: Why is volunteer work so important to you?
Panek: While I haven't worked at a "normal job" for over 10 years, I need to have purpose and direction in my life. I passionately believe in the work of both Mass. Audubon and Loaves & Fishes. By taking on significant responsibilities at these organizations, I continue to develop new skills, meet interesting new people, and grow myself. I like to think that I also contribute to their success in achieving their missions.
Press: What would you say to encourage support for either of the organizations you are affiliated with or volunteering in general?
Panek: If you believe in the work that Mass. Audubon does or Loaves & Fishes does, then you can help. These organizations don't run all by themselves; they don't sell products to make money; they need ongoing support from everybody who cares. That can be as simple as writing a $100 check every year. But like so many adventures in life, the more you invest of yourself, the more satisfying the experience will be. If you can volunteer time feeding farm animals or sorting food, you will meet others who share your interests. Even if your skills don't seem an exact match, both organizations can use volunteer help with data entry, collating and mailing newsletters, and answering phones.
What I find most striking about working at nonprofits is that the people are so excited and interesting. Whether unpaid volunteers or (typically under-) paid staff, it is the belief in the mission and the rallying together around a common goal that makes nonprofits such terrific places to be.
Press: You are so busy with volunteer work. Do you have any hobbies?
Panek: I love to cook and consider myself an accomplished, albeit amateur, chef. My interest in birding grew from watching feeders in the yard outside the window to traveling to distant countries like Bhutan and Morocco. I also enjoy traveling to visit other cities and cultures—but seldom leave my binoculars behind! Music has always been an important part of my life—singing in groups and playing piano. I have attended Church of the Good Shepherd in Acton for 26 years and am very active in that community. Also, I enjoy helping my wife in our extensive gardens.