Most adults in our town have full-time jobs and many are raising families.  Although many would like to contribute to their community, finding the time to do so is a real problem.  What impact could one person make with so little time to spare?  Maybe more than you think.

I should say at the outset that, even though I believe volunteering has the potential to help our community, I am not under any illusion that this is the fundamental solution to all our town’s problems.

But what might each of us do that could make Wareham a better community; even if it we can only spare an hour’s effort every month or so?  There already are people doing this kind of thing.  For example, I know a few people who pick up trash they find on Onset Beach until the summer crowd comes in, and they are overwhelmed.  There must be other projects that could be suggested.

I stumbled across one possible project that, because of its size, I began calling a micro-volunteer project.  My interest arose when I read the Wareham Open Space Committee document titled Open Space and Recreation Plan 2010 Draft found online at the town website under “Town News.”  I call your attention specifically to information on pages 99 through 103. There, specific recreation areas are mentioned, and probably one or more of these areas will be near your home.

If you want a small project, find the recreation areas of interest to you.  Look at what is planned for that area by reading the text that follows the words “transition plan.”  Do you agree with this plan, or do you favor an alternative?  If you want something else, it is time to get active.

I undertook this project myself.  Here is a partial list of the results for areas near my home. 

Shell Point – “Transition Plan: Recommend accessible benches and picnic table on paved parking area”

I believe that putting benches and a picnic table on the paved parking area is a bad idea.  The parking area has very limited space.  Benches and picnic tables would have to be removed to accommodate plowing in the winter.  It is the current absence of such man-made structures that makes the area such a beautiful space.

Lopes Playground – “Transition Plan: No proposed changes”

This playground is in a very sad state because there has been very little maintenance for more than a decade.  I spent 15 minutes walking through the area noting 19 obvious problems including safety issues, missing equipment, and a lack of water.

If you undertake such a project, mail your results to The Open Space Committee at WarehamOpenSpace@gmail.com.
And then what?

In order to solve a problem, it has to be recognized and understood by the community that has an interest in solving it.  If a group of micro-volunteers would inventory the problems with our town, then maybe we can organize to solve these problems.  It’s a start on a small, manageable, micro-scale.