Serve Will County grants support youth service projects in forest preserves

Thomas Yancy of Minooka (Photo by Amy McNeil)

Each year, the Forest Preserve District of Will County relies on thousands of volunteers to help achieve its mission. Projects in forest preserves and visitor centers are offered to help youth volunteers meet certain service requirements that benefit their community.  These projects don’t just benefit the public — they also provide young people with a unique leadership opportunity to plan, develop, fund, and execute a project from start to finish.

To help support these youth volunteers, The Nature Foundation of Will County established the Serve Will County small grant program in 2020, with a one-time gift from Buckeye Partners.  The grant reimburses up to 75% of the total cost of supplies, materials and equipment rentals necessary to complete the project (up to $500).

These service projects are coordinated through volunteer services supervisor Emily Kenny, who maintains a list of approved projects. While other proposals will be considered, many will not be accepted because projects must fit the District’s identified needs and must consider ongoing maintenance.  After a project is approved by the Forest Preserve District, an application can be submitted to the Foundation.

Scout Thomas Yancey of Minooka is the latest recipient of a Serve Will County grant.  After he decided he wanted his Eagle Scout project to benefit the Forest Preserve District he met with Emily Kenny to identify a project and talked with staff at Isle a la Cache Museum to make sure he understood their needs.

From there, he was encouraged to apply for a Serve Will County grant.  While not required, Yancey decided to accept an invitation to further develop his leadership skills by presenting his project plans and budget to the Foundation’s Board of Directors – where he received unanimous approval.

Yancey said scouts secure outside funding for their service projects, so they aren’t entirely self-funded. In addition to the Serve Will County grant, he received support from a local lumber company and The Home Depot. He said he appreciates the grant because it allowed him to spend more time working on the project instead of raising funds.

“The only thing I had to worry about was doing the work and getting it done on time,” he said.

The new storage racks allow Isle a la Cache staff to better manage, preserve and store interpretive panels and materials used for museum exhibits, said Amy McNeil, program coordinator at the museum.

“Though the storage racks aren’t something the public typically sees, they make a big difference behind the scenes,” she said.

If you spend time in the preserves or visitor centers, chances are you’ve already benefitted from other projects the Foundation supported like glove drying racks for volunteer services, a replica 1700s wheelbarrow and cart, giant yard games and wooden benches. 

A number recreation and historical interpretation projects are currently approved and awaiting a volunteer match: a tree cookie/stump table at Plum Creek Nature Center; the design and construction of 20 youth-sized, historically accurate wooden canoe oars for Isle a la Cache Museum; and a balancing structure to replace a climbing element at Plum Creek Nature Center.  In addition, historically accurate chicken nesting boxes and wooden eggs for Riverview Farmstead are currently under construction.

We are thankful so many young volunteers choose to partner with the Forest Preserve District to achieve their service project goals.  Getting involved is easy! Start by contacting Emily Kenny, at 815-722-7364 or volunteerservices@fpdwc.org.  She can help match you with an approved project — or discuss a proposal that aligns with the Forest Preserve District’s needs.